Phone as a Key - Unlock doors upon Approach?

[JellyBelly]

Do you know if the programming has to be done by the dealer or something we can do ourselves? IE buy a OEM key FOB?

He indicated he suspects they have to do it ... he is researching how to order the fob by calling Ford. Nothing in instruction manual for programming new fob. He is focused on getting the 7 MMEs received today ready. He thanked me for informing him of the PAAK issues and he now understands why I have been asking about the key fob.

I am sure instructions may come out later if self programming is available.

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[GoGoGadgetMachE]

I am more likely to drain by iPhone battery than for the Fob battery to die. Nothing is 100% like you said but Fob is still better and easier than Paak.

"better and easier" is very subjective. Certainly not "easier" to have to do anything whatsoever with a fob if PaaK works. Yes, I'm putting if in there because so far indications are it's not 100% yet.

That said, "better" depends on your definition of "better". Fobs are, year after year, big pains in the ass for me when it is one more thing to carry in the summer, especially as big as they are nowadays. I always - always - have my phone. Literally 100% of the time I'm out and even mostly when I'm in. Carrying a fob in my pants pocket is a giant pain in the ass and by the way means I bend over and the doors lock outside or the alarm goes off or some such nonsense. (I mention summer because at least in the winter I have large coat pockets.) I'm looking forward to never carrying a key fob.

If that means that sometimes I have to use the keypad on the door because PaaK isn't there, then so be it. Key fobs are a pain in the ass to deal with relatively speaking. If I could drive my Fusion without one today, you better believe I would.

If you're going to argue "better because battery life," then we might as well go back to actual keys. Then it could be an OG Mustang - 1964 technology, today!

And for what it's worth, I never feel the need use a faraday bag with a phone. That discussion has literally never come up in my life. Literally the only reason I expect to ever use the key fob is for valets, when I'll have to dig it out of the faraday bag from whatever super secret hiding place it's in (because I don't expect valets to understand the PIN thing).

I'm being very slightly facetious here to make a point, only because the argument that "well key fobs work 100% of the time" is factually wrong (again, I've been there - all it takes is a dead key fob battery at the worst time), and the argument that "key fobs are better for everyone all the time" is just as factually wrong.

You're entitled to an opinion of liking a key fob more, but that's not the same thing as absolutes. There are no absolutes and it's silly to suggest there are.

 

[mamejunkie]

@GoGoGadgetMachE I def was not trying to imply it as 'fact' and for everyone. I will put a disclaimer (IMHO) next time. Apologize if you felt my comments was in anyway make yours less valid. Everyone is free to do as he/she pleases. As much smart house appliances and crap I have own and used...rarely is any 'simple' and problem free. I still prefer the key Fob. Think it easier to me and the misses to use. IMHO. Less explanation to the wife on how to use the Paak.

 

[phidauex]

Nothing is 100% reliable, but it is clear that a smartphone running bluetooth is orders of magnitude less reliable than a fob. I've probably turned bluetooth off and back on again trying to make something work 200 times in the last decade, while the other day I replaced the batteries in our Prius fob for the 2nd time since 2008.

 

[JamieGeek]

"better and easier" is very subjective. Certainly not "easier" to have to do anything whatsoever with a fob if PaaK works. Yes, I'm putting if in there because so far indications are it's not 100% yet.

That said, "better" depends on your definition of "better". Fobs are, year after year, big pains in the ass for me when it is one more thing to carry in the summer, especially as big as they are nowadays. I always - always - have my phone. Literally 100% of the time I'm out and even mostly when I'm in. Carrying a fob in my pants pocket is a giant pain in the ass and by the way means I bend over and the doors lock outside or the alarm goes off or some such nonsense. (I mention summer because at least in the winter I have large coat pockets.) I'm looking forward to never carrying a key fob.

If that means that sometimes I have to use the keypad on the door because PaaK isn't there, then so be it. Key fobs are a pain in the ass to deal with relatively speaking. If I could drive my Fusion without one today, you better believe I would.

If you're going to argue "better because battery life," then we might as well go back to actual keys. Then it could be an OG Mustang - 1964 technology, today!

And for what it's worth, I never feel the need use a faraday bag with a phone. That discussion has literally never come up in my life. Literally the only reason I expect to ever use the key fob is for valets, when I'll have to dig it out of the faraday bag from whatever super secret hiding place it's in (because I don't expect valets to understand the PIN thing).

I'm being very slightly facetious here to make a point, only because the argument that "well key fobs work 100% of the time" is factually wrong (again, I've been there - all it takes is a dead key fob battery at the worst time), and the argument that "key fobs are better for everyone all the time" is just as factually wrong.

You're entitled to an opinion of liking a key fob more, but that's not the same thing as absolutes. There are no absolutes and it's silly to suggest there are.

I have a suggestion for you: cargo pants.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

I have a suggestion for you: cargo pants.

it's summer in Ohio I'm talking about, so surely (*) you mean cargo shorts!

(*) I am serious, and I'll call you Shirley if I want to ?

 

[JamieGeek]

it's summer in Ohio I'm talking about, so surely (*) you mean cargo shorts!

(*) I am serious, and I'll call you Shirley if I want to ?

LOL I almost edited that to say "and shorts" just prior to posting.

 

[ChasingCoral]

not to put too fine a point on it but you do know that key fobs have batteries that die, right?

having been through this with the gf - to say a fob will be flawless 100% of the time is just wrong.

Which is the reason I'd rather put a shield in the fob to disconnect the battery than to stick the fob in a Faraday bag.

 

[ChasingCoral]

There are no absolutes

Isn't that an absolute?

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

Isn't that an absolute?

 

[janitorjim]

Nothing is 100% reliable, but it is clear that a smartphone running bluetooth is orders of magnitude less reliable than a fob. I've probably turned bluetooth off and back on again trying to make something work 200 times in the last decade, while the other day I replaced the batteries in our Prius fob for the 2nd time since 2008.

not getting the right answer to the question of "which dress should I wear" is reliable

 

[Illinibird]

He indicated he suspects they have to do it ... he is researching how to order the fob by calling Ford. Nothing in instruction manual for programming new fob. He is focused on getting the 7 MMEs received today ready. He thanked me for informing him of the PAAK issues and he now understands why I have been asking about the key fob.

I am sure instructions may come out later if self programming is available.

I read on a site that sells FOBs that it has to be professionally programmed by the dealer but the FOB wasn't for the 2021 Mach E (didn't have those yet). I have a feeling they'll be selling a good number of additional key FOBs for our cars (something Ford should have included).

 

[agoldman]

Who would have thought that the FOB (or no FOB) would be a part of the car buying decision.

 

[mamejunkie]

Who would have thought that the FOB (or no FOB) would be a part of the car buying decision.

Yea...I guess in 2021 a $50-60k car is like the Ford Escort in the 80's. Who remember cars not including floormats?

 

[BDC]

Do we know if both Android and iphones are equally fussy about connecting here?

I ask this a few pages back (easy to miss in these long threads). Only a few responses, but both Android and iOS have reported issues.

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