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Has any Android users bought an iPhone JUST to use Apple CarPlay ?

Discussion in 'Prime Audio, Electronics, and Infotainment' started by GKL, Jan 30, 2020.

  1. Priuslover09

    Priuslover09 Member

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    Do you know which cars have android auto?
     
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  2. Carlos J Acevedo

    Carlos J Acevedo Junior Member

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    I found this on you tube!
     
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  3. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I'll see if I can find the info and get back to you.
     
  4. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Check this link: Toyota Search Page
     
  5. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    The scuttlebutt I heard was the other way around- Toyota didn't want either Apple or Google to play fast and loose with all the user data generated while driving around. They came to terms with Apple but Google wouldn't play ball.
     
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  6. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I heard something like that also, but Toyota must now feel things are okay as they now have Android Auto in several of their models, why they are taking their time allowing it on the Prius Prime is puzzling, if it is okay for some of their models then why not all of them ?
     
  7. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    I can only speculate that the manufacturing commitment deadline for the prime stereos occurred before the deal could be reached. Makes a lot of sense to do it earlier on the low-volume model and then get it right for the high-volume cars.
     
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  8. yaun

    yaun Member

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    They had it on the Corolla now for a while, which isn't low volume at all. I suspect that the complication of the Prius Prime's split ecosystem is to blame for the delay. They don't have the 11" in any other car, so it must be low priority for them to put much development resources into something that serves such a small customer base. And only rolling it out to the Prius and the lowest trim Prime isn't an option, it would piss off higher trim users. If you look at Australia, they rolled out Android Auto for the Prius, but they don't sell the Prime there.

    I still hope they will allow retrofits of AA. Else, I'll continue to have my Android phone stuck in front of the 7" display. An old Iphone wouldn't really help much without a data contract, else how do you use google maps. So in the end it means you need to pay 2 contracts or fully switch to Apple. That's not for me.
     
  9. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I figure at some point in time it could be as simple as a software upgrade to add Android Auto to the 2020 Primes.
     
  10. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Interesting points also, and I too am hoping eventually they'll get around to making an Android Auto upgrade available for the Primes as we would prefer staying with the more affordable android phones, I prefer new phones over buying used but new iphones are way too pricey.
     
    #30 GKL, Jan 30, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2020
  11. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I've heard about something like that. I also heard you can connect android thru Bluetooth but it does not offer the same level of functionality as having Android Auto.
     
  12. Suspi

    Suspi Junior Member

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    I hate iOS and have been a long-time Android user. I begrudgingly switched to iPhone because of work and Carplay is a slight bonus. Being able to use Google Maps/Waze and Stitcher for podcasts over the stock Toyota apps would be my reason to switch.

    Can I just rant a bit about how dumb it is that Google Maps with Carplay overrides the phone's display to just show a list of directions. I've disconnected my phone from Carplay just so I can use the keyboard and type something instead of constantly shouting at my car hoping the speech recognition knows what I'm asking.

    I am tempted to just mount a Android tablet over my screen.
     
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  13. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Hey rants are okay, if Toyota hears about enough rants maybe it might motivate them to improve it faster :D

    I have a while before our Prime XLE gets delivered from Japan and will decide later whether to get a cheap used iPhone or just wait for Android Auto to be added to the Prime. I also much prefer to stay with android phones !

    That android tablet is a unique idea ! :D
     
  14. Suspi

    Suspi Junior Member

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    A Nexus 7 magnetically stuck to my dash has been my "Android Auto" since 2012
     
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  15. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Neat, when I think tablet I tend to think wifi, I just checked online and saw the Nexus 7 does have a sim card slot for data connectivity, sounds like you found a creative solution while waiting for android auto ! :D
     
  16. N3rd

    N3rd Junior Member

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    I just this weekend grabbed a spare iPhone to see if it was worth having on in the car full time. It takes care of 90% of the complaints I have about the display.

    Better maps. Better apps. You can have the climate control on the bottom part of the screen while carplay uses the top and no (stupid IMHO) map constantly on the top of the screen when I could care less driving locally.

    The only big issue is that when your using carplay it blocks the use of any other Bluetooth devices. So I can't receive a call on my Android in the car without disconnecting carplay. And for me that's a big issue. If not for that I would have already installed the iPhone permanently in the glovebox as a 'brain' upgrade.

    -s
     
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  17. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Thanks for sharing your experience with that, yeah I agree that would be a bummer if you had to disconnect Carplay every time you received a call on your android phone, I would think depending on the number of rings the call might stop before you got Carplay disconnected and your android phone connected.

    I have read other threads that seem to indicate it is just a matter of time before Toyota makes a software upgrade available that adds "Android Auto" to the 2020 Prius Prime, I think they said it was already available in Australia, so I might just hold off getting a cheap used iPhone and just wait for the "Android Auto" update.
     
  18. N3rd

    N3rd Junior Member

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    Other threads seemed hit or miss. In that even the Australian one I think was for the 7 inch screen only. I really hope they make it happen but being healthily pessimistic for now ...

    If it reaches a tipping point (this really is literally the only thing I don't love about the car) I may very well just put a Sim in an iPhone and add it to my plan. Can pretend its the 80s and tell people to call me in my carphone :)

    Or forward my calls to it but none of that comes free and I doubt Verizon will give me the line for free just because I complain about the car!
     
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  19. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

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    Wow, that's lame! The Sony deck I put in our prius doesn't suffer like that at all. We regularly have an iphone doing navigation via carplay while listening to a 2nd device. Must be something with the hinky Toyota deck.
     
  20. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    An older iPhone works, but doesn't use the full potential? I ask 'cus my son's phone died and he enlisted my vernerable iPhone 5 with his CX-5 (with CarPlay), and in short order had Google Maps on the car's screen, was talking, it saying "give me directions to Best Buy" and what not.