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Will an iPhone work with the 2010 USB interface?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Faraday, Sep 3, 2009.

  1. Faraday

    Faraday New Member

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    I have ordered a V with the Safety Connect and the USB interface - will an iPhone (not the iPod) work with the Nav/USB connection? Or will I have to buy iPod to make it work? Thanks!
     
  2. cpatch

    cpatch New Member

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    The iPhone will work (at least the 3G and 3GS will).
     
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  3. priusagent

    priusagent New Member

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    When I plug in my 3Gs I get the message on the phone that the device is not compatible and it asks me if i would like to go into Airplane mode.. haven't read up much on the issue yet.
     
  4. Mt View

    Mt View Member

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    My 3G doesn't work and Toyota has told me they only tested with the original iPhone. I'm hoping mine can be fixed.
     
  5. cpatch

    cpatch New Member

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    Are you running the latest 3.0 firmware on the iPhone? Are we talking about the USB interface for the nav system?
     
  6. cpatch

    cpatch New Member

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    Are you using an Apple cable to connect the USB port to the iPhone? Regardless, if you tap on "No" in response to the message does it work?
     
  7. Mt View

    Mt View Member

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    Yes, I bought it from metrotpn and installed within a few days of its availability. I'm running 3.01 on my phone. I have an incident open with Toyota. They made me try an original iPhone (because they told me they hadn't tested with anything but the original iPhone 2G) which I found and it connects and then disconnects just like my iphone 3G. I'm waiting for Toyota to come back with a resolution, I assume either a firmware update or a replacement kit.
     
  8. eaglesight333

    eaglesight333 Senior Member

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    I thought I remember reading that your dealer has to do an update to the car system to get the Iphone 3.0 to work correctly. But I could be wrong.
     
  9. Mt View

    Mt View Member

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    Someone wrote that their dealer said they had to do a firmware update to get their XM to work after the USB install. Toyota hasn't said anything about that and my experience with dealers is that either they know almost nothing about the Prius and/or they will tell you anything to serve their purpose. In this case they may have just done the install wrong.
     
  10. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    IMHO, the message is a hold-over from the original 2G iPhone. 2G/EDGE cellphone RF signals have a significant amplitude-modulation (AM) component. This gets picked up by wiring and rectified by a diode or similar component (think crystal radio) if present. The result is a very annoying noise that occurs frequently when the iPhone "talks" to the 2G network. If you have powered speakers attached to the computer to which you dock your iPhone 2G, you'll hear this. Apple created the warning to switch to Airplane mode as a mitigation approach.

    The 3G RF signals don't have the AM component, so they don't produce the annoying noise, so there's no need to switch to Airplane mode with a 3G or 3GS iPhone on the USB adaptor.
     
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  11. IrishGuyJay

    IrishGuyJay New Member

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    The first time I connected my phone (an iPhone 3G running firmware 3.1) I also got this message, selected "no," and was able to connect.

    However, when I connect now I get a message stating that the device is not compatible and only an "OK" button -- no yes/no option on the phone to switch to airplane mode. When I press "OK" on my phone I am unable to connect and cannot see my music on the NAV screen. Has anyone else had this problem or found a resolution?
     
  12. scotty321

    scotty321 Apple Mac Expert

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    I have an iPhone 3GS (running iPhone OS 3.1) and a 2010 Prius... yes, the USB connection does indeed work just fine for listening to audio from the iPhone and controlling music through the navigation system, but every time you connect the iPhone, the iPhone warns you that your device is not compatible and you have to dismiss the dialog box on the iPhone.

    Unlike IrishGuyJay, I still get the yes/no option instead of an OK button.

    However, now I just have my iPhone 3GS connected through Bluetooth instead, and I charge it using one of the 2 electricty chargers in the car (not sure what the technical name for those electricity chargers are) along with a Belkin Micro Auto Charger.
     
  13. Mt View

    Mt View Member

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    I have an iphone 3G running 3.1 and it will not stay connected for more than a few minutes before I get a "lost connection with ipod..." message. I have now tried two different USB interface kits and two phones, one 3G and one a 2G and all combinations have the same problem. I can only assume that at least in my car something is not right.
     
  14. scotty321

    scotty321 Apple Mac Expert

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    Hmm... I'm not an expert on this, but it does sound like something is not right, because I just went on a 3-hour roadtrip with my iPhone plugged into the USB port, and it played music fine for 3 hours without any lost connections.

    However -- I am on the iPhone 3GS, and you tried it on an iPhone 3G and an iPhone 2G... maybe there's a difference between the USB connectivity on the older iPhones and the iPhone 3GS?
     
  15. Mt View

    Mt View Member

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    I have an incident open with Toyota and they said that it had only been tested with a 2G and I needed to find a 2G to test with. I did that and they authorized a warrantee replacement and I tried a new kit. They have not gotten back to me since I told them the kit replacement failed.
     
  16. adrianblack

    adrianblack Member

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    I tested with my iPhone 3GS running 3.0 (jailbroken) and it worked fine. I got the message about airplane mode, but you don't even have to push No .. it will go away after a couple of seconds.

    I hate how there is no where for the cord to run out of the center console with getting pinched!

    I went back to my 4gb flash drive.... easier as it's always connected.
     
  17. bighouse

    bighouse Active Member

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    Here's what I found out. If I plugged my iPhone 3GS into the USB iPhone port in my center console and selected the USB tab on the Audio screen. Then, I saw my playlists and songs, but NOTHING actually played...that is, it played the songs- but i could not actually HEAR them. The ' - " counter (minutes/seconds?) counted away but all I got was dead silence. Then, I tried to switch the the BT tab on the audio screen...and it said the player was already in use...so, switched to SAT1 just to confirm that the audio system wasn't somehow muted...and it wasn't.

    So, I went into the Settings on my iPhone and changed the setting to Airplane ON...and presto...all my audio was available on the USB tab and I could hear it perfectly (sounded good too!).

    So, I'm wondering if there's a conflict in using an iPhone with the Nav system- that is, can you use both the PHONE and the POD function simultaneously? I am assuming that "Airplane/ON" means that the phone element in the unit is disabled but the iPod capability isn't? Is it possible the NAV Audio system isn't set up or programmed properly to allow the USB and simultaneous Bluetooth/Phone connection???

    The USB tab on the Audio system isn't covered at all in the Owner's Manual. Does anyone know if Toyota has any kind of manual or online materials for explaining its use?
     
  18. scotty321

    scotty321 Apple Mac Expert

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    Yes, you are correct -- Turning airplane mode ON disables the cell phone and WiFi features of your iPhone. Although WiFi can be turned back on while airplane mode is on.

    I don't know the answer for why it isn't working for you, but I can confirm that my iPhone 3GS plays music successfully through my USB port while airplane mode is OFF, even while its Bluetooth connection is ON.

    There is a supplemental brochure that should have come with your Prius that is dedicated to discussing the USB port.
     
  19. bighouse

    bighouse Active Member

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    Scotty,
    What iPhone version and software release do you have?
    What Nav System version?

    I'm wondering if there's some firmware or software element I may be missing (or have) that doesn't match yours and that could be making the difference? I've read in this forum that after the USB port is installed that they have to run some kind of a software upgrade...but often it seems that you'll hear conflicting info in any such forum!!!

    Nav system 9.1 here with 3GS running the latest OS (3.1 7C144) on the phone.
     
  20. Mt View

    Mt View Member

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    In the few minutes mine stays connected I had it connect and play through BT instead of the USB port. I deleted the BT pairing for audio and it fixed that problem. Now I just use a flash card on the USB and my phone on BT audio and phone.