New car is on the way so it must be time to start planning for a new phone that complements the car. Acura has a strong leaning toward IOS, but that does not preclude use of the others. The TLX does not map your smartphone screen to the information screen so there is no specific advantage there.


All phones should pair easily with automatic import of your contact list. Here are the features as I understand them.


iPhone
- SIRI Eyes Free feature allows voice commands to SIRI without continual pressing of the Talk button. It will read incoming text messages, responding to text messages, create new text messages, and perform other SIRI commands
- “aha” internet radio
- Pandora internet radio (US only)
- Song tagging (US models only for some strange reason)
- control and playback of audio recorded on the phone


Android
- allows Talk function to activate Google Now on the phone. Requires each command to be preceded with pressing the Talk button. Can use voice commands to read incoming text messages, respond to text messages, create new text messages, and perform other Google Now commands
- “aha” internet radio
- Pandora internet radio (US only)
- control and playback of audio recorded on the phone


Windows Phone
- allows Talk function to activate Cortana on the phone. Requires each command to be preceded with pressing the Talk button. Can use voice commands to read incoming text messages, respond to text messages, create new text messages, and perform other Cortana commands
- control and playback of audio recorded on the phone


From my limited research it seems that Google Now and Cortana can be configured to respond to the car's Talk button without touching the phone, but this not possible with SIRI itself without SIRI Eyes Free.


It seems that iPhone has a clear advantage in the US, but only slightly better Canada. Windows Phone is just a step behind both with no “aha” or Pandora, but if you were not using those features then it is similar to Android.


The assumptions are that voice quality over bluetooth is comparable and might depend on the quality of the phone itself.



Am I missing anything or have I made any incorrect statements?

 

Great post and interesting topic. I think this thread can really serve people well by discussing user's experiences with their phones. Hopefully people will mention the exact phone they have (and OS) and their experiences with it on the new TLX. Thanks!

 

Yes, this is great and I'd be interested to hear other's experiences. Since they emphasized Siri eyes free so much I figured Android was SOL. But if the talk button can activate Google now, that would be GREAT as you can run all the voice commands through it - directions, nearby places, play music, texts, etc. I'd love to hear from first hand feedback from people that have tried it.

 

Just picked up my car late last night (non-tech package...first non-tech package I've got in my last 5 cars...I always ended up Google Maps for navigation) and haven't been able to play with everything yet but here are initial thoughts.

I've got an AT&T LG G3 and my wife has an iPhone and I plan on testing the Siri integration.

Pandora seems to work fine via bluetooth (and album art shows).

Bluetooth for music player on phone works (but doesn't show album art).

Bluetooth using Spotify it doesn't change the display (i.e. it just shows what I last played using the music player).

Plugging phone into USB doesn't register as a media device.

Talk button doesn't launch Google Now (I imagine that's just tech package), but no big deal because I enable "OK Google" hotword detection on my phone and will use that mostly for all phone functions.

 

did you hold talk button for a couple seconds? It would be awesome if it did work.

 

Here are the instructions from a reddit.com post for car setup.

To just press your car's bluetooth/call button and launch Google Now, follow the instructions below

1. Download an app called Bluetooth Launch.
2. Open that app, ignore the terrible UI, and find the dropdown labeled 'Google Search'.
3. Under that dropdown, select 'com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox.VoiceSear chActivity'.
4. Exit the app.
5. Connect to your car's bluetooth.
6. Make sure your phone is unlocked, and hold your car's bluetooth/call button to activate Voice Dialing (you might only need to click the button, depends on your car's stereo).
7. When prompted, choose to always complete the action with Bluetooth Launch (NOT with Google Search; this will open the near-useless google voice dialer app).
8. Google Now should now open, and if you have the option in Google Now checked it will use your car's Bluetooth mic as input.

You should now be able to hold/click your car's bluetooth/call button to launch Google Now at any time.

One note on using this. I've found that the lock screen will occasionally be disabled after using this function. I think it happens when you open Google Now but don't complete the command and just exit to the home screen instead. I've only had this happen a couple of times but it's something to watch out for.

 

Hmm, didn't realize you could do the long-press of the talk button. When I do that it says "Your smartphone is not supported". Maybe it's just an LG G3 thing.

I tried Quandry's suggestion, but think that since my phone isn't supported it doesn't matter anyway. FYI, that app seems to use my G3's native resolution because the font is so small I literally had to use a magnifying glass I have to read the text.

 

scoured the internet for hours before being told about this forum. will try this tomorrow with my nexus 6. could be a life saver. Thanks!

 

I would guess that if you ask any Acura consultant, they'll favor the iPhone. There are very consistent from model to model and from version to version. Siri Eyes Free is supported natively, and the 'typical' Apple weaknesses (restrictions) are strengths when it comes to support.

I was not aware of an app to enable the [talk] button on the steering wheel, thanks for posting.

 

Tried this with my Nexus 5 lollipop 1.01 and all the car says if I long press the voice recognition button is smartphone not supported. Is there anything else I should be doing? for instance - you say "when prompted...." .when prompted by what? Should this bluetooth launcher really be closed? More step by step babying probably needed, assume I am a complete idiot (no comments please).

By the way no understatement how awful the interface with that app is. The font is so small you need a magnifying glass - or be someone under 20 to read it. this is near microwriting size.

 

I think also Iam confused by the requirement to connect to your car's bluetooth...I mean do I need to reconnect it in a different way - the car is already paired automatically with the phone when I start it. Maybe I need to go to the originator of this somehow - I know it is a copy paste from all over the place. Maybe I should give up.

 

Sorry it does not seem to work. I was just posting what I found, and have no first hand information.

 

Not to sound smug, but the last few posts show why most of us prefer iPhones. Too much variability in the Android world.

 

The Nexus 5 is an awesome phone - I know several converts from iphones. Even my son, who still loves all things apple. Most iphones 5 or 6 seem not to hook up to texting in Hondas or Acuras. maybe you have to fiddle with the phone somehow but I have never seen it work. whereas with recent androids it works perfectly out the box. Even blackberries do. My better half's ipad is an infuriating thing. Beats me why they are so popular. We all got IPads at work to replace our PCs and hate them with a passion. almost everyone now brings in their own PC laptops to work on....

Siri eyes free is the most awesome facility and I wish the android world could do the same. But lets face it every platform has its pros and cons. Not to mention how expensive the iphone world is and how easily the screens break.

 

Make that ALL iPhones, but we know that going in. Apple does not fully support MAP which is what is protocol used to enable the text message function (currently it will read but not reply). This may be good or bad depending on your POV, but it is consistent and easy to predict. No fiddling required... LOL.

Yeah, I love my iPad Air2 but I don't use it as a PC replacement. Not having a file system is a huge disadvantage to general purpose computing.

 

I've been thinking about swapping my 2007 RDX for a TLX and I'm really hoping that Android Auto and Apple's Carplay make it into this car this year. Anyone know if the current system in the TLX will be upgradeable to either of them? I think I read that the system in some of the current Hyundais will be upgradeable so it'd be nice if Acura did that as well. Both systems are light years ahead of any OEM Nav/entertainment system and should be upgradeable.

I also have a Nexus 5 and it's a pretty impressive phone considering the price I paid and that it's already over a year old.

 

I am pretty sure that that it is upgradeable, but have a pessimistic view that it will be. Upgrading has not been the tradition in the past but maybe this will be the start of a new trend. It would be welcomed.

 

I know that both Android Auto and Carplay were supposed to be available on cars in 2014 but it appears both have been delayed. I'm hoping that means Acura, like Hyundai, has used a system which can add them with a software update. The fact that Acura has already released an update for the system is promising. Hopefully, there'll be some news out of CES in a couple of weeks.

In any case, anything is better than the stale system in my 2007 RDX!

 

^^ I could have sworn that CarPlay was scheduled for calender year 2015? This could mean it ends up being 2016 models depending on when the individual models roll out.

 

The lack of credible information out there is frustrating. Apparently, Pioneer has had aftermarket head units with CarPlay for several months now. Despite this, there are several articles out there saying CarPlay has been delayed until 2015: Apple CarPlay release date delayed until at least 2015 | BGR

I think both companies are tweaking their product some more before they officially release it.

 

I foresee a huge culture clash between silicone valley and auto manufacturers. These two institutions move at drastically different rates, and handle problems in totally different fashions. In mobile/computing, you simply upload a patch. Of course there is testing involved, but you're patching again in 6 months anyway so who cares if it's not perfect. In many respects, the product is never 'finished'.

In the auto world, there is an expectation that you buy a finished product. Customers don't want to be a part of the R&D process (look no farther than these forums). Not to mention there are lives at stake, litigation, and federal oversight.

From what I hear, Apples announcement that H/A would incorporate CarPlay caught H/A off guard. I heard that they were in talks, yes, but nothing was signed and no commitment to a timetable set.

 

So it is one or the other but cannot be both? Mirroring is probably all I would want.

Also, I don't like this idea of Honda connect with the really old ice cream sandwich os:
Honda brings Android Ice Cream Sandwich to Civic's dash | Android Central

 

I have an iPhone 5S with the latest operating system, 8.1.2, and cannot get texts and emails displayed on my TLX Advance.
I called Acura in Torrance and they told me that the iPhone and TLX are not compatible with the features of displaying or responding to texts/emails.
This is counter to my TLX sales brochure which specifically indicates these features are available with a comparable iPhone. I have properly synched blue tooth and also can use Siri, but cannot be notified or see texts/emails in my TLX. Is Acura corporate correct that these features are not available via the iPhone? Thanks.

 

I have an ANCIENT (by today's standards) Nokia Lumia 810 running Windows Phone 8.1. and I have used it in the following cars with no issues

1. 2014 Subaru Forrester
2. 2010 Ford Taurus
3. 2014 RDX

in all the cars voice commands work with the phone. the Forrester and RDX can handle text message display. WP 8.1's Cortana handles all of the phone's voice commands so I do not need the car's ability to do voice dialing, etc

also if you are having issues with your phone, make sure that it is set to allow for remote SIM operation.

the biggest reason I like WP 8.1 is that even with this 2 year old phone, I can use 128GB micro SDXC cards with it thus allowing me to store HUGE amounts of this on this particular phone.

 

The iPhone is not compatible with this feature (it never has been). In most cases it will read aloud a text message but you cannot reply. I'm not aware of any brochure that states it is, maybe it's something like, "with compatible phones" or "compatible with most features".

 

Here is a quote from the "slick" black TLX sales brochure:

"With a compatible iPhone, you can make and receive calls, select and play music, audibly send and receive text messages, access Maps, and get directions - almost everything you can do with Siri on your connected iPhone."

Doesn't this mean the iPhone should be able to display text messages on the TLX Advance?

 

No, it means that Siri will read them. But it must be a compatible model, ie. 4S and up.

 

It seemed early on that the manufacturers were choosing one or the other but I have a feeling when they finally do come to market, most car manufacturers will offer both. They'd be alienating half their audience if they didn't.

I saw that article about the Honda ICS system. So dumb. They better not try that on the Acura side!

 

For those of us that remember the format wars of Beta versus VHS, there's always a concern it could happen again. Hopefully it will be a non-issue, much the same as the DVD–R vs. DVD–RW controversy sorted itself out.

 

Not much but apparently Android Auto was demonstrated in the TLX at the Chicago Auto Show: Android Auto: The 2015 Chicago Auto Show | Androidheadlines.com

I think the biggest issue at the moment is that it requires 5.0 or later and last I saw, that represents less than 2% of Android devices. Seems like that's starting to change though as the OEMs finally get their bastardized versions out in the wild.