Do you prefer use Apple carplay / Android Auto or the built in bluetooth?

[SnBGC]

I think it is super cool we all can use whatever we prefer. Who else does that?

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[balthisar]

I've never been a fan of carplay, and I continue not to be a fan in my MME. It's not bad, but it's clunky because it uses a different paradigm than all of the built some. In other words, the on-screen UX is inconsistent.

I appreciate the fact that it's wireless now. And I _really_ appreciate the fact that it's easy to escape from versus previous Sync.

Every time I try to use Maps, Maps' built in widgets occlude half the screen. They eventually go away, but that "eventually" is a long time. The turn-by-turn doesn't appear to show up on the IP, either.

Bluetooth for audio isn't really any different than Bluetooth in Sync. They both play what I'm playing on my phone. They both let me pause and unpause. I don't really give a crap about cover art.

Overall, I still can't find a use case for my own liking.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

I've never been a fan of carplay, and I continue not to be a fan in my MME. It's not bad, but it's clunky because it uses a different paradigm than all of the built some. In other words, the on-screen UX is inconsistent.

I appreciate the fact that it's wireless now. And I _really_ appreciate the fact that it's easy to escape from versus previous Sync.

Every time I try to use Maps, Maps' built in widgets occlude half the screen. They eventually go away, but that "eventually" is a long time. The turn-by-turn doesn't appear to show up on the IP, either.

Bluetooth for audio isn't really any different than Bluetooth in Sync. They both play what I'm playing on my phone. They both let me pause and unpause. I don't really give a crap about cover art.

Overall, I still can't find a use case for my own liking.

I completely agree with you on all of these points. In Sync 3 with the gf's iPhone it drives me crazy that the onboard navigation completely goes away if you enable CarPlay because "you have CarPlay you clearly want to use Apple Maps". What a terrible idea.

that said the "side by side" with native UX makes it a lot more tolerable. I'm sort of surprised that Apple "let" Ford do this with Sync 4 but I think it's the right move and I hope other manufacturers are seeing the benefits of the split portrait layout.

 

[mixduptransistor]

I think it is super cool we all can use whatever we prefer. Who else does that?

I think CarPlay and Android auto are on like 95-98% of cars these days?

 

[mixduptransistor]

I completely agree with you on all of these points. In Sync 3 with the gf's iPhone it drives me crazy that the onboard navigation completely goes away if you enable CarPlay because "you have CarPlay you clearly want to use Apple Maps". What a terrible idea.

that said the "side by side" with native UX makes it a lot more tolerable. I'm sort of surprised that Apple "let" Ford do this with Sync 4 but I think it's the right move and I hope other manufacturers are seeing the benefits of the split portrait layout.

I mean, until you get to Sync 4A in the Mach E or the Tesla system, Google or Apple maps is demonstrably better

And as far as Apple "allowing" Ford, I'm not sure what you think the relationship is, Ford is free to design their car to work however they want. The only requirements Apple has is the technical interface between the phone and car hardware and what goes on inside their box. Everything that happens outside of their square is none of their business

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

I mean, until you get to Sync 4A in the Mach E or the Tesla system, Google or Apple maps is demonstrably better

not without dash integration they aren't. not even close. dash integration is killer. like, so much so, that I can't imagine how any of you tolerate anything else.

Apple Maps is still a dumpster fire, just one that's closer to smoldering at this point.

And I try not to use any more Google stuff than I absolutely have to. They already have enough information about me, thank you very much.

And as far as Apple "allowing" Ford, I'm not sure what you think the relationship is, Ford is free to design their car to work however they want. The only requirements Apple has is the technical interface between the phone and car hardware and what goes on inside their box. Everything that happens outside of their square is none of their business

Well, we know there are hardware button requirements as well, such as a Siri hard button, so it's not just "technical interface," there's hardware requirements beyond that. Someone - you in fact - posted a WWDC presentation with that exact information:

That same presentation says that you have to contact Apple for anything but the listed screen resolutions, none of which are portrait resolutions:

so yeah, I took the very thing you posted as someone saying they are an expert as a true thing.

 

[mixduptransistor]

not without dash integration they aren't. not even close. dash integration is killer. like, so much so, that I can't imagine how any of you tolerate anything else.

Apple Maps is still a dumpster fire, just one that's closer to smoldering at this point.

And I try not to use any more Google stuff than I absolutely have to. They already have enough information about me, thank you very much.



Well, we know there are hardware button requirements as well, such as a Siri hard button, so it's not just "technical interface," there's hardware requirements beyond that. Someone - you in fact - posted a WWDC presentation with that exact information:

That same presentation says that you have to contact Apple for anything but the listed screen resolutions, none of which are portrait resolutions:

so yeah, I took the very thing you posted as someone saying they are an expert as a true thing.

So, what I was saying was, how Ford integrates it into the rest of their interface is completely up to Ford. Apple can't dictate what happens anywhere else in the interface on the screen or the graphical or UX design of the rest of the system. The buttons and screen resolution are part of the technical interface between the hardware and phone that I mentioned

 

[balthisar]

I mean, until you get to Sync 4A in the Mach E or the Tesla system, Google or Apple maps is demonstrably better

I accidentally ordered my 2017 Mustang Ecoboost without navigation, so I was stuck with CarPlay if I wanted to use navigation in the dash. While it was nice that one could have in-dash navigation without buying the navigation add on, it was really, really nice to go back to built-in navigation when I got the Taurus SHO. Don't get me wrong, I love Google maps on desktop, and Apple maps is tolerable on the phone when I don't have something else, but "better", for me, is what's available and at hand. I know I'm not everyone, though.

One thing that's always frustrated me is that Siri takes over when I hold down the voice button, and I can't use voice to program a built-in destination. I discovered today that I can use built-in voice commands by double-clicking the voice button. I don't know how long this has been the case, but I suddenly like Sync a whole lot better.

 

[SteelMach]

It gets so confused when going between wireless CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, it's really irritating, but I'm glad it offers both. Just wish they played nicer.

 

[Maric]

Built in NAV has been solid for me and I've used it the most. AA has also been solid when I've used it but I'm not used to using AA so default NAV has been my norm.

One thing I'd love to see is the ability to drag the app squares around the screen and resize as the user sees fit. I'm sure that won't ever be a feature in this car though.

 

[srogers]

I accidentally ordered my 2017 Mustang Ecoboost without navigation, so I was stuck with CarPlay if I wanted to use navigation in the dash. While it was nice that one could have in-dash navigation without buying the navigation add on, it was really, really nice to go back to built-in navigation when I got the Taurus SHO. Don't get me wrong, I love Google maps on desktop, and Apple maps is tolerable on the phone when I don't have something else, but "better", for me, is what's available and at hand. I know I'm not everyone, though.

One thing that's always frustrated me is that Siri takes over when I hold down the voice button, and I can't use voice to program a built-in destination. I discovered today that I can use built-in voice commands by double-clicking the voice button. I don't know how long this has been the case, but I suddenly like Sync a whole lot better.

A quick press on the voice button will activate SYNC a long press will activate Siri. It was the same on my 2013 Fusion.

 

[Accord07]

Re

I completely agree with you on all of these points. In Sync 3 with the gf's iPhone it drives me crazy that the onboard navigation completely goes away if you enable CarPlay because "you have CarPlay you clearly want to use Apple Maps". What a terrible idea.

that said the "side by side" with native UX makes it a lot more tolerable. I'm sort of surprised that Apple "let" Ford do this with Sync 4 but I think it's the right move and I hope other manufacturers are seeing the benefits of the split portrait layout.

There has never been a requirement to dedicate the entire screen to CarPlay or Android Auto. Earlier implementations had smaller screens with the bare minimum resolution (800x480), it was just impractical to show things side-by-side. Even today most screens have a 16:9 aspect ratio (800x480 is 15:9, but close enough), matching the supported resolutions in CarPlay and Android Auto, so they typically let them run full screen. There are exceptions, however, for several years now some automakers have used wider screens in their cars, showing CarPlay/Android Auto side-by-side with native apps.

The following are from the Acura RDX I test drove three years ago. With the first showing CarPlay and the infotainment systems Sirius/XM app, and the second showing CarPlay and map from the infotainment system's Garmin navigation app.

 

[Cnote]

Most of the time wireless android auto works great, but sometimes something happens with my phone where the music starts cutting out or jumping up and down in volume. I can't tell if it's my phone itself getting bogged down or android auto with waze running causing the phone to get bogged down, but it's really annoying when it happens and isn't consistent. I have a Samsung Galaxy fold 2. I deleted and re-added the connection with USB instead to see if that helps.

 

[buddha34]

Is anyone else bothered by the resolution of Carplay Waze? It seems very cartoony and large to me, much different than Carplay on my BMW. I tried the "native" Ford Sync Waze app and Waze is much more slick looking and the controls seem much more responsive, but it requires my phone to plug in via USB and seemed to mess up notifications doing it that way.

 

[zhackwyatt]

I may have to stop using AA. On my phone, the Pixel 4, if I am using AA + Google maps, the wireless charging can't keep up and I lose battery power.

I'm still experimenting. I think if I use AA w/o any navigation running, it won't have this issue.

If I take off the phone case maybe it will charge faster too, I don't know. Lots of experimenting required.

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