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Android apps compatible with 2020 Prius Prime XLE ?

Discussion in 'Prime Audio, Electronics, and Infotainment' started by GKL, Jan 23, 2020.

  1. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    We are considering getting a 2020 Prius Prime XLE soon, but my wife and I both use Android smartphones and I was wondering what Android apps are compatible with the 2020 XLE and out of those which are worth getting and which should be avoided.

    There seems to be many available, here is a link to the app store with those selections:

    prius prime - Android Apps on Google Play

    I know the 2020 comes with Apple CarPlay, so are there any features in Apple CarPlay that are available to those who do NOT have an Apple phone ? .....and any features that could be access with an Android phone ?

    The one app I am considering so far is the "Toyota+Alexa app" so any tips about that app ?

    Thanks !
     
  2. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    I highly recommend the second on the list of apps on the link you posted. LOL

    Screenshot 2020-01-23 at 7.58.32 PM.png
     
    #2 Salamander_King, Jan 23, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2020
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  3. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    Generally, all of the apps except the 2nd one and 4th one will be useful only if you need to diagnose a problem with your car (hopefully that won't happen for awhile) or want to dig into the (quite amazing) engineering that allows your hybrid car to function as it does. There is another app, Carista, (not listed here) that for a fee and the price of an OBDII scanner will allow you to control some of the day-to-day functions of your car, and even eliminate some of the annoyances, that you would normally have to have done at the dealer.

    You already know about the 2nd app, apparently.:)

    Have you used Alexa at home? It is useful for sending voice commands to your TV that would normally be done through a remote control. Although I have not used it in a car, I imagine it would be similar, allowing you to control the volume or change the station on your car's radio. Supposedly, it is not as good as Google Home at answering general knowledge questions and that type of thing, because it requires that they be worded in a particular way. I cannot see how it would be all that useful, given that the car already has a voice command button that can be used for controlling the radio and HVAC and navigation (which should be standard on your Prime XLE). People complain about Toyota's built in navigation and seem to much prefer what is available on their phone, so many were relieved when Toyota finally gave in and started including Apple Car Play in their multimedia head units. Personally, I am not totally disappointed with the navigation on my 2017 Four Touring, but as a dedicated Android user I would still appreciate having my phone mirrored on the in dash display, if Toyota ever makes Android Auto available on their factory head units. I guess what I am saying is: prepare to be underwhelmed by Toyota's multimedia options, especially as an Android user..
     
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  4. MTN

    MTN Active Member

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    Without Android Auto working on (maybe update-able?) the OEM head-unit, you should basically write-off any smartphone integration.

    We just mount our phones with a quality mount in the CD slot - why is that there and no Android Auto? - and use the AA available on our phones, connected via bluetooth. You can make calls, listen to music etc, just not have a "mirrored" screen. My 2016 VW has AA and it works great. We swore we'd ensure every future car purchase included it, but couldn't pass up on the deal we got on a Prime. If it annoyed us a bit more, we'd swap the head unit out - a very nice feature of the lowly LE trim!

    The Best Car Phone Mount for 2020: Reviews by Wirecutter

    FYI - the CD slot mount is optimally placed - good viewing spot, sits a little bit farther from the vents than a vent mount, so it blocks less and is solid. Easy to swap driver's phones with the magnetic setup too. Best/easy/cheap solution we found.
     
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  5. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Thanks ! Sometimes it's hard to decide which apps are worth trying as some have below average reviews but still have a number of reviews where people liked the app.
     
  6. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    We do have an OBDII.

    We use Alexa at home to control some of the lights, the coffee pot, the microwave, the air conditioner, changing channels, accessing outside security cameras, amazing how many things they are coming out with you can use with Alexa.

    My wife and I test drove a regular Prius yesterday just to get a general feel for the ride and the 11inch display and features, (in the southeast region their is only one Prius Prime on a car lot and too far away and not the color we want so you have to special order one to get what you want) anyhow, we were pleased with the display and map, especially how it could show traffic conditions on your route, maybe Android Auto might be better, but I did not see where the built-in navigation was all that bad, of course we only used it for about 15 minutes during the test drive.

    While I have not heard it direct from any corporate Toyota web sites, doing a search online I have read a few online car magazine type web sites that believe that eventually Toyota will have Android Auto for the Prius Prime, I don't know but I guess it might be as simple as Toyota supplying a downloadable upgrade for the 2020 Prime whenever they want to allow it to be available.
     
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  7. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Thanks for the info !

    Okay, I was wondering if we could access our phone calls thru the 11inch display and speakers with having Android phones even though the unit is set up with Apple CarPlay, I am hoping we will be able to use Alexa to make and answer calls while we are driving so we don't even have to push the on screen button.

    As nice as it might be to have a mirrored phone, I am not sure what Android phone apps would really be usable while you are driving, the built-in navigation seems to be okay enough, and as long as we can still make and answer phone calls and access music, I'm not sure what else would be usable, though I have not given it a lot of thought so there might be some apps I am not thinking of right now.
     
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  8. GSK

    GSK Active Member

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    The Alexa app for the Prime is useless. I've installed it, got frustrated with it and uninstalled it, decided to try it again, found out it really is useless, and have uninstalled it for good. It doesn't have any of the usual abilities that Alexa has elsewhere.
    The built-in navigation is good, I'm happy using it as is.
     
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  9. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    Glad to hear a positive review on the built-in navigation, that is encouraging !

    I was doing a search on the forum for "Alexa" and it does seem to have limited ability for some users, maybe there is a way it needs to be set up ? At the link below is where I found the quote underneath the link -

    Silent death of Prime apps on the 2020 | PriusChat

    from the above link:

    (quote)
    As a follow-up the 'Toyota+Alexa' application is what is available on the 2020 Primes. It isn't the Toyota skill with Alexa. Thus, you can use Alexa inside the car to do various things (check the weather, ask alexa questions, I'm assuming control your smart home), but not the other way around. It does not allow you to start the car/adjust temp/lock or unlock the vehicle using Alexa."
    (end of quote)
     
  10. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    In theory, the Voice Control button on the steering wheel should be able to do all of the functions that are related to your car, but I have found that it does not always understand what I am asking on the first try. Perhaps I need to do more voice training with it, but Alexa can always seem to get what I'm asking right away, albeit that is in the quiet of our living room with no road noise. I'd like to try Alexa in the car, but I don't see it listed as an app on the screen of our 2017, so I'm thinking that head unit does not support it.
     
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  11. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    As of now I can only speak from trying to research online as our Prius Prime is on order and we don't have it yet.

    I'm not sure but it might be a matter of more voice training as far as the built-in voice control function.

    Yes, from what I read the built-in voice control can do the car related functions, but likely not general questions like you can ask Alexa.

    Now we have android phones so we can't simply plug our phones into the 2020 Prius Prime as android is not compatible with Apple Carplay, but I have read where some seem to have some success (but not screen mirroring) by connecting their android phones via Bluetooth, whether this would work in the 2020 model as far as Alexa access I am not yet sure.

    There is a phone app called "Toyota+Alexa" that from what I read seems like it might be necessary in order to have Alexa access in the car, here is the link to that app -

    Toyota+Alexa - Apps on Google Play

    If there are others who read this and have had success with enabling Alexa in a 2020 Prius Prime via connecting their android phone by Bluetooth please let us know, thanks !
     
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  12. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    I just did some more searching and found this page from the Toyota web site -

    Which vehicles support the "Toyota+Alexa" app?

    Here is the info from the above link, NOTE it does include the 2020 Prius Prime under the Android section !

    (it wouldn't copy and paste so I took a pic of it)
    Toyota_Alexa_help_page.jpg
     
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  13. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    I can confirm that Android (or probably any) phone can connect to Toyota head units through Bluetooth. Even our 2007 Prius can connect for phone calls and call history. It also has a function for transferring a contact list from the phone, but I could never get that to work and had to put them into the car's contact list manually. It cannot read text messages or respond to them.

    Our 2017 Prius does transfer contacts and can read back text messages to me and allow me to send a response from a standard list, even as I'm driving. It can also play music from my phone through a Bluetooth connection, which the 2007 could not do. Probably the functions that are on the 2017 model have been available since 2010 on the top end units.
     
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  14. GKL

    GKL Active Member

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    That's good to know about the Bluetooth !

    As far as Alexa, that Toyota page I shared shows Alexa was not supported until the 2020 model as far as the Prius Prime.

    I guess if you had the "Toyota+Alexa" app on your phone when you connected via Bluetooth on your 2017 and it didn't work then that is why. You would hope they'd be able to fix it with a software upgrade unless it is a hardware limitation prior to the 2020.

    I'm still hoping eventually they'll offer a software upgrade that will include Android Auto on the 2020, according to some articles I've read in the past there are some car people who think it eventually likely.
     
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