Toyota Entune is Super Crap-tastic

agree completely. let us know how you go about the lawsuit, maybe we can get a class action. are you, or do you know an attorney?

 

This is one of the drawbacks with patented technologies. When an automaker wants to include an in-car application, they either have to develop it themselves or buy it from a patent-holder who is probably selling a after-market version of a similar thing. Whatever deal they strike with the patent-holder, it's unlikely that the automaker will be getting their A-line of technology, because that would be giving away the patent-holder's market advantage.

GM and Ford have had mixed-success with their own proprietary in-car systems. It's very difficult and very expensive to achieve and maintain a technological lead. Either you invest massively in your own talent, to develop and patent new technology; or you buy out existing patents and talent. Either way, it's very costly, and patent-wars are inevitable.

So don't fault Toyota for taking the simpler route and biting the bullet by paying the license fees for using the technology. While it makes everything expensive (my dealer quoted me $8000 for a head-unit upgrade) it would probably cost a helluva lot more to develop a better system on their own.

It's no surprise that companies like Microsoft and Google have tried to fill this niche, but once again it's hard to achieve a win in a technology and patent-war, where it's usually winner-take-all, and those with the best patents and market-advantage are usually the winners.
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It is all Apple's fault. They are not following the proper "standards".

This is what Toyota is likely to say and unless you have BIG BUCKS, like a hundred grand or so to spend, you won't even come close to getting a real answer. I personally think it might BE Apple's fault.......but have no evidence of that except past performance.

And not that it matters but I think that a car is for transportation and many of the recent "features" and "enhancements" just makes the driver more distracted and shouldn't be there in the first place. Just MHO.

 

It's easy to heap blame on the one you like least, but it's probably a systemic problem; there isn't one.

Protocols and standards are set up by loose alliances and industry working-groups to ostensibly achieve some sort of synergistic result. Some times it works great and sometimes not-so-great. Unfortunately, sometimes one of the partners considers himself smarter than the rest, and throws a monkey-wrench into the works by making small changes that create situations that favor their own products over the others.

It's basic human nature to make peace and war constantly.

 

Likely outcome:
Lawyer, $10 million.
Toyota owners, $100 coupon against their next purchase of a Toyota vehicle.

 

I've contented myself to making things work the way I need them to. I use USB for most recorded audio, and its been nearly flawless. I use Bluetooth for streaming audio, and it works fine for that, but if I must play recorded audio over Bluetooth, I use a few work-arounds that seem to work well enough.

 

Class Action Rebates

 

No question it sucks. And yes, given the additional price tag for Entune on my Tacoma, I feel taken. Toyota and other automakers are clever in the way they package their vehicles though. To get the other features you want, you have to buy Entune also. I think it's virtually impossible to get some of the top-end features and exclude Entune. If I had that option, I would take it.
I'll sign up for the CA suit. Given the way they market Entune as a value-added product, it seems that a case can be made for fraudulent marketing. If they simply sold their cars with a "stereo system", it wouldn't be fraudulent. Instead, they market the Entune brand and markup their prices accordingly, then don't deliver what they promise.

 

I believe so, but I've never needed to do anything more than copy the files to it. It's possible that the system is able to read more than one format.

In my 2012 Plug-in, the USB socket is in the console storage-box, in a perfect place to get broken. You can also use a USB-extension, but I prefer to use a compact USB-drive:
Cruzer Fit USB Flash Drive by SanDisk

 

One of the biggest reasons most automakers are migrating towards the more open Blackberry system. Ford's already done it. This allows Apple and Google/Android to concentrate on their stuff, and for the automakers to focus on, autos.

It causes confusion in the computer world as well, with many PC makers trimming costs with not quite up to spec USB ports, adapters not working properly, out of date or incorrect drivers. The list goes on.

But as current owners, we all have to deal with the sins of their past, frustrating as it is. My extremely old iPhone 3GS is what I use in the car for tunes. It still serves a purpose for email via WIFI (not an active phone connection). I have no use for internet on my car screen, but I do use the included Nav feature whenever I go on a road trip. I would never, ever pay for a data plan just so Entune, or any car app, could use it.

By the time you add up all the monthly costs of phone contracts, home broadband and cable, you'd be surprised at how much money they're sucking out of your pocket. A friend was depressed he couldn't afford the car he really wanted, and needed to replace his age-old dinosaur. After two questions, he realized his phone/cable/internet bills were $80 a month higher than his car payment was going to be.

By shaving my phone and cable bill, I'm able to fund an iPad with full 4G service. I have a phone for, well a phone. Texting is ok as well. But the iPad can get everything I want all the time, and my passenger can use all the time with no restrictions. I could use it for music in the car as well, but the 3GS still works like a 32GB charm, and stays in the car always.

Sometimes, it just doesn't pay to focus your entire life around what they give you, you have to improvise a little.

 

It's the chicken or egg situation. Refinement of abilities is difficult prior to mass penetration, but you cannot achieve that before then without having a large & diverse audience. To complicate matters, there are issues with the connecting hardware. Look back at how lacking computers were and continue to be... depending on what you want to do.

In my case, my Android phone does so much and interacts with Bluetooth so well, there hasn't been interest in doing anything with Entune other than the using PHV related features... which have always worked great.

What would the suit request from Toyota?

 

My experience from iPhone with Bluetooth is likely similar to your feeling with Toyota. Apple's playing catch-up to Android has been rather disappointing. So, that does complicate matters. There are hardware challenges.

From Toyota, it would be nice to see the wireless updates being expanded. I'm not sure where they are at now, but the Advanced package for PHV had that right from the start. No messing around. It simply gets software changes while parked in your garage. Other in-home devices do that well, like my Blu-Ray player and my Cloud.

The act of getting updates themselves is a major hurdle to overcome. As a software engineer, with several long-term projects to support, I know that all too well.

 

Tell him that the only way you will participate in this is on a pure contingency basis.......and then see how interested he is.

 

He probably peed his pants when he ran the numbers.

 

There are definitely some situations that require a class action suit, and this may be one of them. But in too many cases the suits are completely frivolous, and the company settles because it's cheaper than fighting. Here's one from Sergiospl's link:

Class Members of the Permatex class action settlement include anyone who purchased a qualifying Permatex automotive repair kit product in California between March 27, 2009 and Dec. 19, 2014 that bore the statement “Made in USA” on the product packaging.
Estimated Amount $2.00

The plaintiff alleges Permatex, a division of Illinois Tool Works Inc., violated various California laws by using a “Made in USA” label on packaging for automotive repair kits that contain less than 100 percent domestic content.
Permatex denies the allegations but has agreed to settle to avoid the expense and uncertainty associated to a trial.
​

Lawyer: $350,000
Users: $2 each

 

Apple routinely ignores industry standards and expects vehicle manufacturers to bend to its will which has been why iPhones have had so many compatibility problems. Toyota follows established industry standards. Apple does not. Don't blame Toyota for Apple's problems.