Media playback and Android Auto

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thewanted

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Hey all,

Had another test drive of the A4 yesteday, and I am definitely sold on it. The salesman briefly showed me Android Auto which looked quite impressive, but I have a question. Is it possible to play music from a USB stick at the same time as using Google Maps via Android Auto since the car has two USB ports under the armrest?

In addition, Audi West London could only get within £1500 of Broadspeed's quote. Before I start hammering CarWow etc. are there any dealers that are well known for giving discounts?
 
I cannot see why not! Don't forget you can also use SD cards in the glovebox - saving that USB port for a travelling companion!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
maui said:
I cannot see why not! Don't forget you can also use SD cards in the glovebox - saving that USB port for a travelling companion!
Click to expand...

The reason I ask is because I had to disable Android Auto on the MMI in order to play music from my phone via the Media app on the MMI. It was a very quick test so I just wanted to be sure that using Android Auto didn't prevent you from playing MP3s from a different source, or directly from the phone itself (ie. not Spotify, Google music etc)
 
audi upgrades
I think you can. I'll test one my way home from work in abit.

I play music from SD card and then plug my phone in. It will bring up Apple Car Play, but it won't switch the music source unless I then click on Music / Spotify.

Again, this is apple, but once you plug the phone in for Car Play, it disables Bluetooth on the phone..So you can't bluetooth music to the car from it (But why would you need too?)
 
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Thanks! I'd appreciate it if you could test it, even though it's CarPlay. Really not too fussed about playing music over Bluetooth, but being able to use my USB stick or phone and Android Auto at the same time is imperative.
 
Last edited:
To be honest, I am struggling with the whole thing - it doesn't seem to be completely what I expected.
If I plug my iPhone in, I get CarPlay but then I can't access my phone to make calls from the car, I have to use the CarPlay phone. Might seem petty but I'm used to using the phone tab on the display in the dash (speedo)
Sorry, I know this isn't android but I'm guessing the same restrictions apply to both phones
 
Pork said:
To be honest, I am struggling with the whole thing - it doesn't seem to be completely what I expected.
If I plug my iPhone in, I get CarPlay but then I can't access my phone to make calls from the car, I have to use the CarPlay phone. Might seem petty but I'm used to using the phone tab on the display in the dash (speedo)
Sorry, I know this isn't android but I'm guessing the same restrictions apply to both phones
Click to expand...
When using CarPlay you can make calls by a long press on the speaker button on the steering wheel if you have one and Siri is activated, otherwise you have to use the app on the centre screen.
 
@Pork - that's why I have disabled CarPlay for the moment! I'm debating if it will work how I like and if it's worth enabling CarPlay or not.

To disable CarPlay, foto connection manager, scroll to bottom under smartphone, and uncheck your iPhone. It will stop CarPlay activating and allow the MMI to connect over Bluetooth


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks guys, really wanted to use it for Spotify though - can the mmi directly access Spotify if I put a second sim in?
 
Sort of... if you control Spotify via your iPhone (find music). It will do Next / Previous / Pause just fine.

MMI does not support Spotify native, but apparently works with Napster in that fashion. Not had the chance to test yet.

So CarPlay will use the data on your phone, and native too (it won't be classed as tethering).
The downside with MMI features like Aupeo / Napster / Internet Radio (it actually initiates the playback via your mobile), is that it requires your phone to be connected via Wi-Fi - which then the iPhone tries to use for Internet :(. With the embedded SIM, that means you have to purchase a data plan, or you install your own SIM as you say - but then all the data on your phone goes via that SIM.
 
To add some more, I have a similar use case to you.

I frequently listen to Audible, Podcasts, Deezer whilst on the road, and whilst they all have CarPlay apps, I like the MMI interface much more than CarPlay. So at the moment I have to initiate the app I want to listen to on my phone before I set off.

I was hoping that the MMI functions like Napster / Aupeo / Internet Radio would work well, but MMI Connect requiring Wifi means that those are not using my unlimited data plan on the phone.
 
thewanted said:
Thanks! I'd appreciate it if you could test it, even though it's CarPlay. Really not too fussed about playing music over Bluetooth, but being able to use my USB stick or phone and Android Auto at the same time is imperative.
Click to expand...

Yeah works as we said. Plugged in phone and it switched to car play. Was able to use normal radio, SD card and USB and still
Use phone / maps of car play
 
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Thanks Maui, as long as I'm not missing a trick - it seems to be a little muddled.
I guess for long trips I'll connect CarPlay and use Spotify and for shorter trips just use the SD card.
Just a bit weird that Audi have gone to great lengths to make the (ignition) key physically redundant but your phone has to be plugged in!
 
Pork said:
Just a bit weird that Audi have gone to great lengths to make the (ignition) key physically redundant but your phone has to be plugged in!
Click to expand...

Well - if you are happy using Bluetooth Media (rather than USB) you don't need to attach USB. But for CarPlay - at the moment, you can thank Apple for wires only! Whilst CarPlay wireless was announced in iOS 9 (a year ago), there are still no real world implementations that I have seen. VW had planned to demo it but that's all I have heard.
 
PhxViper said:
Yeah works as we said. Plugged in phone and it switched to car play. Was able to use normal radio, SD card and USB and still
Use phone / maps of car play
Click to expand...

Thanks very much! Appreciate it. I guess the chances of playing music that's stored on the phone and using Apple/Google Maps at the same time are quite slim?
 
That should be fine. I know for sure you can play music and use Apple Maps navigation - which will lower the music volume for navigation. Certain on the fact that if you use the MMI navigation it will also allow you to play music from Android Auto / Apple CarPlay and speak navigation guidance.

With CarPlay, and I am sure Android Auto works in a similar fashion, is that the system passes the phones music system back to the MMI, so even when you are not in CarPlay it will still show the current track, album art etc and allow the MMI / steering controls to do Next/Previous/Play/Pause.

I had very much similar questions to yourself when I started to look at the A4, and was actually the main focus of the 2 test drives I did! I've been meaning to see if and Android Tablet will have the Android Auto piece so I can see how it looks, but with CarPlay it's fairly seamless. It's not designed to 'take over' your cars existing ICE, but more enhance the experience without prodding at your phone.
 
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Thanks maui :) I had a B9 A4 for 5 weeks as a loan car earlier this year, and I didn't for one second think to try Android Auto! I am really kicking myself now.

I want the Virtual Cockpit, but I am not really fussed about the navigation that they force you into purchasing. The point of this thread was to work out the limitations of Android Auto (and CarPlay to an extent) whilst saving £1900 on the Tech Pack and VC. I am still on the fence and may still get the Tech Pack since it uses Google Maps as far as I know (my favourite), but my alternative spec that includes it works out to be about £900 more expensive so I have to weigh it up.
 
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