Why Toyota was smart to snub Apple, Google

it looks smart for toyota based on greed, not what's good for their customers. however, it could be hurting them in sales as some people just won't put up with their garbage systems any longer.

'toyota's entune infotainment system is one of the best available in our tests'. i just lost whatever respect i had left for pc mag.

 

and when Toyota decides to bring something to the store front of their vehicles, their partnered technology will be 4 to 5 years old technology with CGI.......

 

no one buys a toyota for the infotainment system, that's for sure. that may be true for all cars, but double for toyota. they are a boon for the aftermarketers though!

 

I like your first reply, bisco. It's greed, nothing more. Stubborn greed and putting your customers 2nd. The Toyota entune is a joke when you compare with systems run by Apple and Google that have been doing it longer. These two have resources to update things and will ALWAYS be ahead of Toyota's "product".

Toyota needs to focus on making cars, not forcing their crappy navigation system on their loyal customers.

Signed,
Aftermarket Stereo Owner

 

Agree. Toyota is great at many things, but infotainment has consistently been blah to lousy.

 

If Toyota wasn't making an obscene amount of markup on their up-sell infotainment/navigation systems, they would offer the buyer a delete option. This would give the us an opportunity to purchase any system which fits.

Most carmakers, and especially Toyota are trying to protect a profit center by locking out competition.

If Toyota has a better system to offer, put it in. I'll pay for it, use it, and promote it to others. For now I continue to use my smartphone.

 

Anyone try Android Auto yet? Won't work on the in-car screen in Toyota's, but how is it on a phone or tablet?

 

You can you download Android Auto 2.0 and play with it yourself on your phone or tablet.

 

Yes. I tried it today. Itworks for phone, email and music but not navigation apps!

 

hyundai is offering carplay and google, gonna be a big attraction.

 

So this is what happens when you have a computer magazine review a car. I clicked on that link to where they said it was one of the best available in their tests. The comments section basically mirrors thes replies in this thread. The most positive comment on Entune was it works but it's not as good as a Garmin.

I guess if your compare it to iDrive, Ford Sync or any other manufacturers solution. Entune is actually one of the best but it's still a shiny turd.

 

I can see there are some people could be swayed by such things, but forgive me if I hold on to my Prius with my Nexus 6 on a cup holder stalk. BTW, it works on the tray but slides around through bends, it having a curved back. Going to try some stick-on soft rubber dots in the tray as soon as I find some.

 

i noticed that about the tray. an useful option that would sit in there might be welcome by some.

i would think most people don't spend 30k or whatever for an infotainment system, but it would be nice to get a decent one with a decent car, without having to resort to an aftermarket heat unit, or using ones phone.

 

I am just satisfied with my phone and iPad mini. I dock either device in an iKross cup holder mount, cable up and away I go. Small or large screen navigation using the constantly updated Waze (with reports on the location of the Fuzz), my music, my podcasts, my choice. Car manufacturers are just not entertainment engineers. And phone manufacturers are not auto engineers. And, as previously stated, all want your data.

 

I too have an Ikross phone/tablet holder similar to yours, but with a longer arm connected to the cupholder insert. I use it in the rearmost cupholder, the other one is just too close to the head unit. Either that or over the driver's or passenger's lap! Got it from Amazon UK.

 

functional, but not ideal. you have a phone with everything you need 24/7. all you need is to be able to see it on a larger screen built into the dash. it's not rocket science.

 

Tell me about it!

Someone said it's now legal to hack your car's software following a US judicial review and so I'm waiting for a nerd on PC to find a way to get android onto the head unit.

 

plenty of 'em here, that's for sure!

 

I agree, it isn't rocket science. But remember, the Space Shuttle crashed ... TWICE! And that was rocket science.