On my advanced PiP it seems as though using my iPhone with BT and USB work the same with no issues. I have read earlier posts about some functions not available but audio and phone seem to work the same for me. Am I missing some subtle difference? The reason I ask is I'm trying to plan my iPhone mounting options and I am considering a pro clip left vent mount with hard wired charging cable while using BT for connectivity to the car.
the only issue with using BT on any model of the PiP is for Entune internet access. you need to have personal hotspot enabled on your iPhone for this to work. Bluetooth audio and phone functionality are completely unrelated to this and work with all iPhones.
USB allows browsing by playlists, artist, etc., while BT does not. Not true, the Advanced trim's HDD Premium Navigation allows Entune to access the internet over Bluetooth (if the Entune app is running). Not sure about the Base trim's Display Audio with Navigation, tho'.
Thanks for the reply ryogajyc because I tested it again today and everything seemed to work with no physical connection to the car through the USB cable and I don't have wifi hotspot enabled. In order for the Apps to work work, it tells me that I must have eTune running on the phone. I'm thinking it makes a connection through application to the internet? Or does the car have built in 3g? I assume it has built in 3g anyway because that's how it emails when the charging is done and has the location finder.
Not having to deal with mounts and wires, either charging and/or USB cables, the extra cost for the ATT "Hotspot" dataplan on the iPhone is worth it. Phone never leaves my pocket and everything works via Bluetooth. Don't even need Entunes running on the phone as the car logs in using the phones BT internet connection.
Yes and maybe. Entune Apps in the car tether via the Entune app running on the phone. The car also has built-in cellular radio, but I don't know if it is 3G. Its use is limited to SafetyConnect and communication for the Plug-in Hybrid apps, but not car's Entune apps.
So let me know if anyone has seen this before, but I was thinking about setting a pro clip mount with a charging cable on the left vent. The wire to charge would be routed through the actual vent and then back out behind the dash to be hardwired for power. I had previously done this on my Acura and was looking to do replicate for the Prius.
As PS mentioned, if you have personal hotspot, the Entune app never needs to run on your phone. Ever. I don't even know why I have it installed at this point. This is on the base model.
What? Am I missing something? How can you have the same exact connectivity for BT and USB connect? I am using an iphone 5 with AT&T. I do not have a hotspot plan? Here are the differences: BT: I can use the phone, radio, music (only on my phone), and I can start Pandora or iHeart radio on the phone and have it play thorough the audio option. Limited apps (sports, weather, maps). That's it. USB: I can use everything. Phone, music, radio, all apps (iHeart radio, Pandora, sports, weather, maps, etc). But then I get the dumb "connect" and "plan usage" messages every time the car starts. I have even checked off those options on the BT settings section. Am I missing something? Should I be connecting a different way?
Either way - BT or USB - it seems that entune is leveraging your wireless connection (regardless of WiFi or 3G or LTE). My experience on the Adv model is that in order for the entune apps to work in the car, I have to have entune app running on my iPhone. Without that app running on the iPhone, there's no connection. I don't know what happens when there's no signal at all. And there is a difference in the way the Basic and Adv models handle the BT connection.
What you're seeing is correct (except I'm not sure about the plan usage messages). To have identical connectivity on an iPhone, you either need to have a hotspot plan or be using your phone with a carrier that allows hotspot on all plans. In my case, I'm on T-Mobile, so I don't need any special plans. This is also generally true for European users.
I have the PiP Advanced and an AT&T iPhone 5. Everything on entune works for me over bluetooth. I don't have the hotspot/wifi on my plan and I have never connected the phone to the car via a usb cable and can access all the features of entune... Music - viewing and selecting artists, playlist, songs, etc... Phone Pandora through entune not just playing from the phone iHeartRadio, etc... I haven't run into anything that I haven't been able to do over bluetooth. Entune even updates itself over bluetooth. Not sure what the cable gets you at this point except for maybe charging the phone.
Keep in mind that the base PiP has to use the iPhone's data plan for data related services (traffic, pandora, fuel prices, etc). That either happens via the USB connection and the Entune app running on the iPhone, or via Bluetooth and hot-spot capabilities. In the advanced model, data services are handled via the XM data services and internal cell modem used by the Safety Connect system.
On the Advanced, Pandora/Bing/iHeartRadio use your smartphone for Internet connectivity. Traffic/stock prices/sports info is over SirusXM. The built-in Safety Connect cell phone is used only by the Advanced apps (vehicle locator, charge management, remote A/C); the app in the smart phone talks to a server over its data connection, and the server contacts the Safety Connect phone in the car.
Okay I get it now. I got the "Display Audio with Navigation and Entune", not the "HDD Premium Navigation [8] with Entune" so I have to plug my iPhone 5 into the USB to get the same features that everyone else gets without plugging in their phones? Does that sound right?
If you don't have a hotspot plan, yes. If you do have a hotspot plan, no. Regardless, you are correct in terms of what kind of system you have.
Got it. Thanks for the help and clarification. Now if I could get those darn warning messages off my screen I'd be doing great. (I already unchecked the boxes under the Bluetooth settings too and no luck).
