Toyota Entune is Super Crap-tastic

This video succintly and accurately describes my position on the problems with Toyota, Entune, Apple, Android, Windows, Blackberry and any other compatibility that must be resolved. I don't know how to state it any better than this.

If Toyota requires more detailed instructions, they can be found here:

 

All I can tell you is that there are exacting industry standards that Apple has chosen to ignore. Other phone manufacturers are also guilty of ignoring or bending portions of the standards but Apple is the worst. My Android phones have always worked perfectly with Toyota Entune, Lexus Enform and a variety of other similar interfaces. What is "Windows Phone"? Kidding ... but I have given up on the Windows Mobile platform; Toyota and other car manufacturers have been choosing to stop supporting or to reduce support of that dying technology.

 

FWIW;

4. Changing tracks doesn't actually change the display. Album art and meta data from the first song remain on the screen.

I have seen this on my 2014 VW and previously on 2012 Golf. I believe that the metadata feed updates when the iOS device pushes the new art work at the beginning if the song. When skipping from the console the, metadata maybe presented but the console is not listening for a response and fails to update the artwork. In the VW's the artwork will update, along with the artist name but will always be the number of skips behind.

My hope is that Apple's "CarPlay" becomes a standard for iOS interactions. Relieving manufactures from designing poor universal systems.

 

With so many variations of Entune within Toyota's model line, the discussion of feature operability usually fragments into bits and pieces of useless information. My 2012 Prius Plug-in Advanced has the officially named "Premium HDD Navigation with Entune® App Suite including Plug-in Hybrid Apps and JBL" unit. Checking compatibility at Toyota - Entune requires model, year, audio system, multimedia unit, phone manufacturer, model and service provider. It then spits out a PDF with 21 pages of feature compatibility tables.

Automobile infotainment has become so frustrating. Can you imagine Toyota defending this morass in court?

In my combination with an iPhone 6 (iOS 8.1.3) every feature works well except for sending SMS Text. So I would have little reason for complaining to either Toyota or Apple. Since we know that both are capable of getting one combination working well, the question is why Toyota won't give attention to the versions with problems. As was proposed, perhaps a lawsuit is the only way to get their attention.

 

I have an age-old iPhone 3GS, and a brand new iPhone 6 that both work fine with my Prius v Entune system. I must admit, embarrassing as it is, that everything works better in new Dodges. Oh, the original iPad mini works fine as well. I believe Toyota has wisely decided to listen to both Apple and Google, and use a new system that doesn't require the updates from incompetent Toyota. Having a car with a $28k sticker that doesn't have tire pressure monitoring, but does have a warning gizmo if they get super low, doesn't have a dome light for the rear of a wagon cargo area, and doesn't have rear speakers anyone can here, seems a bit more vital than a front end media station that requires you to pay for a smartphone connection to supply it with internet.

Most everyone that complained about the rear speakers was poo pooled on that, so it's my turn !

 

My iPhone 6 8.2 & PIP 2014 is a train wreck to the point that I am now looking into aftermarket head unit.

Toyota Entune is an incredible disappointment, I have all the same troubles with my system as OP. I would be a little more optimistic if Toyota would at least be pushing out system updates but we have not seen any updates since 3.2 which is over a year old.

I have used Android an various iPhones and they all have had a different set of problems.

Shame on you Toyota for not even trying to solve issues!

 

New iPhone 6 hooked up this morning to my car as I lent my car for a trip. Phone worked fine, music as well. I don;t think they used it for anything else.