iOS 8.3 released

[Spankey]

Not having to lock is definitely a good thing. Even better, is the last song playing continues to play after restarting the car. Before, I would turn the car off, go inside or run an errand and when I got back would have to restart the playlist. Not happening so far. Also, I have not had the issue where the phone connects in silence, that required me to unplug and plug the phone back in again. Pretty happy so far...oh..Spotify still sucks. 

[CatholicJedi]

Just spent the last 2 hrs driving around running errands.  Unlocking automagically was awesome and everything honestly seemed smoother on 8.3.  Still hope to see a firmware update and wifi connect on 8.3 to my device.  

you won't get wifi connect, the NEX does not have a wifi chip

[lydiasracket]

I have the 6000NEX and a 16gb iPhone 6 now on 8.3.  I hadn't read anything about the update until someone sent me a link saying that 8.3 would connect to CarPlay wirelessly.  I flipped Bluetooth back on (I had it disabled since I never use it in the car any longer so why waste the battery you know?) and of course, no luck getting connected that way.

 

Once I did plug in the phone I was prompted whether I would like to "Allow CarPlay While Locked" (Which can also be found in General > CarPlay > Car Navigation).  

 

The nice thing, for me anyway, was iTunes music started playing right after the nag screen OK and I just tapped Now Playing.  I had been having issues with music resuming.  I cannot say if that was from iTunes match (To conserve on local storage I started using iTunes Match, which by and large has been very nice but that is neither here nor there), an issue with the phone itself, an issue with CarPlay or an issue with the head unit.  I am leaning toward iTunes Match, but have always been able to see that a song is selected as Now Playing, it isn't until CarPlay is engaged that it will no longer play and I am forced to choose a new Song/Artist/Playlist/Etc. from the Music and/or Now Playing app.

 

I was trying to do a little bit of digging today to find out how the wireless CarPlay works, I have just come up short so far.  I almost hope that it isn't over bluetooth, as the connection isn't too great.  I know the original NEX units, like I have did not have WiFi (I do not know about the x100 series).  Can anyone speak to how the wireless connection is made?  Is it WiFi?

 

I personally wasn't able to notice the album art differences anyone was talking about because I had my contrast and brightness cranked around so much so that I could at least catch a glimpse of it on most albums.  I will change it back and followup to add more of my 2¢ as I find more.

 

Thanks all...s

[kingoftypos]

Ok folks, when I had iOS 8.3 beta on my 6plus. Wireless Car Play was an option under Settings---> General---> CarPlay. Now that I have the final release, the same that you all have. That option is now gone.

 

So I guess wireless CarPlay isn't here yet.

 

KOT

[ruspa1978]

And abiliting personal hotspot? Does this option appear?

[PaCharger]

you won't get wifi connect, the NEX does not have a wifi chip

Whoops! Meant wireless.

 

So no one else can connect wirelessly either huh?

Bummed!

[NSCRDV]

really getting disappointed with the behavior of my new 4100NEX - had it lockup on me today, forcing me to actually pull of the road, shut down my truck, pull the keys and open the door before it would come back to life. Not sure if this is related to the iOS 8.3 update or not. AppRadio is extremely glitchy, CarPlay screen often opens in a "zoomed" view (see attached), rendering it basically useless.

 

BT audio is unusable due to loud buzzing in headunit, cannot mix audio sources when in CarPlay - HD Radio, SXM, etc turn off.

 

Are others seeing anything like this, or do I have a bad radio?

[CatholicJedi]

Whoops! Meant wireless.

 

So no one else can connect wirelessly either huh?

Bummed!

 

I am starting to think that Apple pulled it. OR it doesn't show up unless your car has the ability to do wireless. On the Beta for 8.3 people said it showed up under carplay in general settings, and now its not.  But the release notes say wireless car play.  Apple has pulled features before on the public releases, but usually they will change the release notes.  maybe it slipped by them.

 

 honestly, its not that big of a deal to me, but still be nice.

[jkaruzas99]

I am starting to think that Apple pulled it. OR it doesn't show up unless your car has the ability to do wireless. On the Beta for 8.3 people said it showed up under carplay in general settings, and now its not.  But the release notes say wireless car play.  Apple has pulled features before on the public releases, but usually they will change the release notes.  maybe it slipped by them.

 

 honestly, its not that big of a deal to me, but still be nice.

 

i think the lack of wireless carplay is a limitation of the unit.  I read somewhere today that to initiate that, you have to start in the car by pressing and holding the voice control button on the steering wheel.  anyone know what button equivalent they might be talking about on the Nex's screen(s)?

 

http://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/7-things-you-can-do-in-ios-8-3-that-you-couldnt-before-1696699731 

[CatholicJedi]

i think the lack of wireless carplay is a limitation of the unit.  I read somewhere today that to initiate that, you have to start in the car by pressing and holding the voice control button on the steering wheel.  anyone know what button equivalent they might be talking about on the Nex's screen(s)?

 

http://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/7-things-you-can-do-in-ios-8-3-that-you-couldnt-before-1696699731 

 

Yes it is a lack of limitation of the HU.  But I would figure the option would be listed in the settings to pair.  I have held the voice button down on my steering wheel and I get siri.  

[CatholicJedi]

ok I found this on apple support communities:

 

"I did some more testing based on your information, and yes, it does show up in Settings once you plug the iPhone into the Carplay stereo via the lightning cable.  Some nice improvements to Carplay from 8.3.  Thanks for the info"

 

 

I will check when I leave from work today.  My guess is that its not showing up cause it does not detect a Carplay stereo capable of wireless.  I just sent a message to someone from a Subaru Crosstrek forum that I know has the alpine carplay stereo to see if its working for him and how it works etc....

 

You know whats weird, I can't find a dang thing out there that even talks about how wireless carplay works.  odd

[lydiasracket]

BT audio is unusable due to loud buzzing in headunit

 

My sentiments exactly.  I only turn on BT when, for whatever reason the HU will not find my phone, which hasn't happened much in the last couple months.  The quality is atrocious though so I was hoping that they were not planning on using BT for the Wireless CarPlay connection.

CarPlay screen often opens in a "zoomed" view

 

Are others seeing anything like this, or do I have a bad radio?

 

I have had this happen to me on my setup as well (6000NEX & iPhone 6, formerly iPhone 5), but only twice.  Usually restarting the phone takes care of it though, and this was right after the initial CarPlay Firmware release by Pioneer.  

 

I think that my problem, all around, is I can never really say with any certainty if issues I am having are relating to the HU, the CarPlay "app" (I know that it isn't really an app since it is a native function of the OS, so maybe I should say the CarPlay functionality) or the iPhone itself.  I certainly had some issues prior to the CarPlay firmwear upgrade, but not as much that is for damn sure.

 

ok I found this on apple support communities:

 

"I did some more testing based on your information, and yes, it does show up in Settings once you plug the iPhone into the Carplay stereo via the lightning cable.  Some nice improvements to Carplay from 8.3.  Thanks for the info"

 

 

I have a sneaky suspicion that this is referring only to the option that enables the use of CarPlay while the phone is locked.  When I initially turned on the car, I was curious if the connection would be made via BT or not, but obviously nothing happened.  Once I plugged the phone in, a pop-up appears on the phone asking if you would like to enable CarPlay while the phone is locked.  I didn't spend really any time looking through my settings beforehand to see if there were any new options for CarPlay (re any options at all, as there were none prior to 8.3).  

 

I heard that this was something in the beta, but I didn't feel comfortable installing the beta this go 'round.

 

 

I can say that one, completely unrelated, option is not available to me in Settings that is widely talked about on the Internet; The ability to download free apps from the app store without authenticating.  I looked high and low for this setting and it is simply not where it should be, let alone the fact that it doesn't exist for me.  This does, however, make me wonder if some carriers have options that others do not?  Like Wireless CarPlay for instance?

 

 

 

You know whats weird, I can't find a dang thing out there that even talks about how wireless carplay works.  odd

 

I am in the same boat with you here.  I was hoping maybe someone on here would be able to fill us in.  A little documentation from, say...Apple...would be nice, wouldn't it?

[lydiasracket]

I have the 6000NEX and a 16gb iPhone 6 now on 8.3.  I hadn't read anything about the update until someone sent me a link saying that 8.3 would connect to CarPlay wirelessly.  I flipped Bluetooth back on (I had it disabled since I never use it in the car any longer so why waste the battery you know?) and of course, no luck getting connected that way.

 

Once I did plug in the phone I was prompted whether I would like to "Allow CarPlay While Locked" (Which can also be found in General > CarPlay > Car Navigation).  

 

The nice thing, for me anyway, was iTunes music started playing right after the nag screen OK and I just tapped Now Playing.  I had been having issues with music resuming.  I cannot say if that was from iTunes match (To conserve on local storage I started using iTunes Match, which by and large has been very nice but that is neither here nor there), an issue with the phone itself, an issue with CarPlay or an issue with the head unit.  I am leaning toward iTunes Match, but have always been able to see that a song is selected as Now Playing, it isn't until CarPlay is engaged that it will no longer play and I am forced to choose a new Song/Artist/Playlist/Etc. from the Music and/or Now Playing app.

 

I was trying to do a little bit of digging today to find out how the wireless CarPlay works, I have just come up short so far.  I almost hope that it isn't over bluetooth, as the connection isn't too great.  I know the original NEX units, like I have did not have WiFi (I do not know about the x100 series).  Can anyone speak to how the wireless connection is made?  Is it WiFi?

 

I personally wasn't able to notice the album art differences anyone was talking about because I had my contrast and brightness cranked around so much so that I could at least catch a glimpse of it on most albums.  I will change it back and followup to add more of my 2¢ as I find more.

 

Thanks all...s

 

Well, one day into using this update and and my wanderlust for 8.3 is waxing and waning all over the place.

 

The problems and/or issues I have come across thus far are:

• I still have the same issues with playlists not playing any longer
• Music will not play sometimes at all unless I turn the car off and on (Unplugging/plugging the phone in does not seem to help
• I set the brightness/contrast levels back to their center points and I cannot see any of the album art (I have gotten used to not seeing it though, but I do miss it)
• When the soft Home button is pressed on the HU, it flashes a bright white (Really more of an annoyance, but it is a bit distracting)

Some of the good points that I have found are:

• Redesigned the buttons (Reply, Sent, Call, Etc.) so that it is really just text and no more flat blue button with negative text.  Now it is just the blue text.  It looks cleaner to me
• The action bar above the Nav Map auto hides after 3 seconds (I believe someone mentioned this before but it is worth mentioning again.  We paid for larger screens, we should get all of that real estate)

One other gripe that I do have is that we are required to OK the nag screen every single time CarPlay engages.  I really do wish that this was an option in settings, that we can OK, stating that we know full well we should drive safely yada yada yada...Hell, make us read it (Scroll down and check an I Agree box) the every time we go into the CarPlay preferences on the iPhone in Settings.  I would be down with that.  The HU already takes long enough to power up, and when I get in my car, I want the music flowing and I want to leave.  I really do not want to interact with HAL.  Okay, I will step off of my soap box now...s

[capikoo]

I am not sure about the issues mentioned above, I haven't experienced any of these symptoms , for the album art being faint in the background I really don't have an issue with it because if I go to the home screen the album art is perfectly display to the right all I have to do is click it and whats playing info is displayed with the album art. as for carplay not showing up in the settings, you have to plug the phone with the cable to initialize carplay and have it show up in your settings. as for wireless I am not sure its such a good feature, connecting wirelessly would drain your battery rapidly making you have to plug it in which is what you do anyway and the positive is your phone will be charging at the same time..just my 2 cents guys.

[MrEos]

Did "Hey Siri" stop working with the 8.3 update? I could have sworn that it worked before, but my memory could be wrong. I now get no response from Siri when I call out for her.