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Bluetooth Audio & iOS 10 new feature

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by tone_uk, Jul 20, 2016.

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  1. tone_uk

    tone_uk Member

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    Hi folks

    So I just picked up my new 2016 Prius Excel (UK model) and have been fiddling around as you do, I'm also beta testing iOS10 on my iPhone 6s Plus.

    I noticed tonight for the first time that album art is now showing when playing Bluetooth audio - something that would only previously display if you had the phone plugged in to the USB port on the car and it was set to iPod mode.

    I've tried it with another phone that's running iOS 9.3 - and no album artwork displays - so I'm presuming it's a new feature of iOS10 if used in conjunction with a capable multimedia system. I had the same phone setup on my 2014 Gen 3, and that didn't display the artwork - so it's probably also a combination of new car and new phone software that makes this happen.

    What do you good people think? I've attached a photo to show what I mean...
     

    Attached Files:

    #1 tone_uk, Jul 20, 2016
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  2. Chris Clark

    Chris Clark New Member

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    That's awesome and great to hear!
     
    #2 Chris Clark, Jul 20, 2016
  3. MichelleStone

    MichelleStone Senior Member

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    Yes it is. I have lots of albums and the artwork makes it nice.
     
    #3 MichelleStone, Jul 20, 2016
  4. Jim in NC

    Jim in NC Active Member

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    Will the Maps app also display through the bluetooth?

    I'm really interested in this. I know there is that mirroring add-on hardware, or you could mount your phone to use it as NAV but this would be great.

    Any other features you notice that this will give us?
     
    #4 Jim in NC, Jul 20, 2016
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  5. ssdesigner

    ssdesigner Active Member

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    Also running ios 10 dev. beta 3 on my 6Splus....no artwork via bluetooth yet. Did it just show up for you out of the blue(tooth)? *snicker*

    Wondering if it *may* be a premium audio package feature??
     
    #5 ssdesigner, Jul 20, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2016
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  6. tone_uk

    tone_uk Member

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    Hi Jim - I don't think so - it doesn't quite work like that. Bluetooth audio on the phone is just using the car as a speaker with some extra data piggy backed on the audio stream for the track info and now the artwork too. It's all part of the A2DP Bluetooth Profile supported by some Toyota multimedia kit.

    Having Apple CarPlay functionality where you get full screen mirroring from a phone (which is what I think you mean) would be awesome - but I don't think Toyota are supporting that any time soon.
     
    #6 tone_uk, Jul 20, 2016
  7. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    I was surprised that art work would not show when streaming via BT from iOS. If this changes that would be really nice. Don't have the navi option though.
     
    #7 pakitt, Jul 20, 2016
  8. ssdesigner

    ssdesigner Active Member

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    Just want to say this in addition to the comments; the Toyota stereo SUCKS for a 2016 system. It's BAD....like, unacceptable bad. I'm having my Pioneer SPH-DA120 put into my 2016 tomorrow. I was really hoping that, buying a 2016, I wouldn't want a 3 year old stereo......not even close. I can't get rid of this stock stereo fast enough.

    Get your **** together, Toyota.
     
    #8 ssdesigner, Jul 20, 2016
  9. tone_uk

    tone_uk Member

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    My phone took an update last night and is running iOS10 build #14A5309d - only noticed it this morning so totally out of the Blue(tooth) :D

    It could be a Europe thing - our multimedia systems are called "Toyota Touch 2 with Go" or "Toyota Touch 2 with Go Plus" - different to the head units you have in US. (y)
     
    #9 tone_uk, Jul 20, 2016
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  10. ssdesigner

    ssdesigner Active Member

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    Ahhhh...gotcha. Thanks for the post, that could be it.

    Loving ios10


    Ahhhh...gotcha. Thanks for the post, that could be it. In the US we have some REALLY odd laws with what can be displayed and when on a stereo unit. Thank the maker for the aftermarket devices that disable that rubbish ;)

    Loving ios10 all around now that they have fixed the early beta bugs....I feel like it's almost ready for prime time! :)
     
    #10 ssdesigner, Jul 20, 2016
  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Now the question is whether that album art is taken right from your phone or from another source.

    In North America, our headunits use "Gracenotes" database. (You can download it and it'll store in the headunit). This way, there is album art of sorts but it's whatever the database has for that particular song title. If it doesn't have it, it'll display the generic genre album art (e.g. rock, classical, pop, R&B etc). When we plug the phone into the USB port (iPhone/iPod), then it will show the album art that YOU added to the song in your iPhone/iPod.
     
    #11 Tideland Prius, Jul 20, 2016
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  12. ssdesigner

    ssdesigner Active Member

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    The answer, for me, is how quickly I can run away from this Toyota stereo. Their stubborn take with 100% of current reality....*waves hand*....bye bye. The Pioneer deck works SO WELL....it's an easy install. No brainer.
     
    #12 ssdesigner, Jul 20, 2016
  13. Autoist

    Autoist Member

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    I would not consider a after market radio unless it supports the car settings found in the factory unit, the steering buttons and the back up camera feed.
     
    #13 Autoist, Jul 21, 2016
  14. ssdesigner

    ssdesigner Active Member

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    There are harnesses available for both.
     
    #14 ssdesigner, Jul 21, 2016
  15. tone_uk

    tone_uk Member

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    This is why you are the Prius master :love:

    We also have Gracenote on our head units, and it looks like that is where the artwork is coming from. I skipped through some tracks and found that the odd one or two were displaying different artwork on the display to that shown on the iPhone.

    Interestingly I bought a newly released single on iTunes a couple of weeks ago, and it displays the artwork for that, so this is potentially one very up to date database LOL
     
    #15 tone_uk, Jul 21, 2016
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  16. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Thanks!

    So why is iOS10 unique? I'm running iOS9.3 and it will show album art in Bluetooth Audio mode. Is it simply Toyota Touch & Go not supporting Gracenotes for older iOS?
     
    #16 Tideland Prius, Jul 22, 2016
  17. artie

    artie Member

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    I run IOS 9.3.2, all the artworks shows perfectly on the car's screen, Pandora or Spoitify. And in contrast to the above poster, I do like the sound of the system.
     
    #17 artie, Jul 22, 2016
  18. nategold

    nategold Member

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    Is the Gracenote data using cellular data? Not good if it is.
     
    #18 nategold, Jul 26, 2016
  19. pakitt

    pakitt Senior Member

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    Why is it bad? what is it you don't like about it?

    I am getting not coverart whatsoever in my Prius with Touch&Go and latest iOS official version (9.3.3) - either with iTunes or Spotify via BT. I have never listed yet to music via USB (why would I? BT is so convenient :) ).
     
    #19 pakitt, Jul 26, 2016
  20. ssdesigner

    ssdesigner Active Member

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    Well, I had a Pioneer deck already, and I was hoping that I wouldn't WANT to put it in. My Pioneer runs CarPlay or Android Auto. Neither are perfect, but Entune is bad. Slow, clunky, no navigation without getting premium packages. I installed my SPH-DA120 and all my steering wheel buttons work awesome. Most buttons have two separate functions whether you press or hold them. The talk button activates Hey Siri and works perfectly. I have full navigation and the stereo is only a $500 unit.
     
    #20 ssdesigner, Jul 26, 2016
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