Apple Watch

I quickly glanced over the latest Apple news last night and it mentioned bringing auto-start ability to some cars but I think it was in the CarPlay app.

 

Am I remembering correctly that that AppleWatch app is for Entune 3 only, and thus only relevant to 2020 Primes?

 

Is Toyota planning to support that?

 

IIRC, Apple mentioned BMW planning to support it, but I can’t recall any mention either way with respect to Toyota.

 

So far, just the 2021 Big Money Waster 5 series. It looks amazing, though. If I spend enough on my car I can take my phone out of my pocket and use it to touch the door handle before opening the door ... as opposed to my current situation of not messing with the phone and just opening the door. Ummmm. Why?

Amazing technology and expense, all designed to make it take longer for me to get in the car.

 

When the apples come out with watch # next and the 5s are about $200....then I’ll probably upgrade.
My 3 is still quite serviceable and has about paid for itself by allowing my employer to reach me more easily for voluntary OT.

BUT...
Since I still have to carry keys, AT BEST using my phone to get into my car would be a +1.

I already have a metal key tie wrapped to my cars with a debatteried fobs hidden inside so it is effectively impossible for me to be locked out - and I have passive entry so the phone feature is valueless for now.
As a matter of fact....its easier to just walk up to the car and grab the handle.

The Apples want to make this a standard for all OEMs....like CarPlay.
Droids will do likewise, since nearly all OEMS also support Android Auto.

 

Reasonable point. I gather the goal is to be able to leave your keys at home — one less thing (or multiple things if you have multiple cars) to carry around.

It should work like Tesla’s smartphone key though. Your phone gets sufficiently close to the car, and it unlocks the car, and when it gets far enough away, it locks the car. You don’t have to do anything with your phone; just have it with you.

 

@ Dick Tracy phone:
I usually do not use it as a telephone but it DOES work in a pinch.
Fitbits are MUCH MUCH better at fitness tracking but the Apple Watch is clearly better at notifications and “good nuff” for cardio and steps.
Since notifications > fitness tracking for me the Appples were a clear winner.........for me.

@phone as a key.
Like I said....it will serve as a +1, but I would want a way into the car if my phone dies, gets lost or stolen in BFE......and I’m sure they are thinking about that.
I have seen too many stories in this forum where a lost fob resulted in meeting Bob the Tow Truck driver.

YMMV

 

Ditto on using the watch as a phone. But I do read and respond to maybe half my texts w/o taking the phone out of my pocket. And the series 5 is nice because I can use a face that, at a glance, lets me see outside temperature with forecast high & low, remaining batteyr level, fitness rings progress, wind speed & direction, rain chances, most recent heart rate, and date. At a tap, I can recheck heart rate, check my calendar, start an exercise activity, or any number of other things. Pretty amazing IMHO. And, I can use Siri on it to start timers, dictate texts, and other stuff. I could use it to play music if I wanted to. And that's on the non-cellular version.

 

Oh, yeah. All that ^^^ stuff @Tideland Prius mentioned, too.

AND, I sit down at my deck and open my laptop and the watch unlocks the computer. Same at the office with the iMac. Just tap a key and the watch does the password for me. It also sometimes (and sometimes not) lets me double-click the side button instead of entering the computer's password for admin stuff. I still haven't seen the pattern yet for when it will and when it won't.

 

I thought I'd post what it looks like:

 

The watch ONLY pairs with the iPhone. It won't pair with a Mac, iPad, Android, Windows, or a car.