Android Auto Wireless?
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,319
Likes: 822
From: Melbourne FL
Yes we have strayed but I did learn something important - wireless AA requires 5GHz. The C7 doesn't have 5GHz.
I think that would first require I get a garage!
Alas, I'm in an apartment and the carport that I park in is too far to connect to my home wifi. If programmed correctly, an app has no idea and does not care what the transport mechanism is, be it wired, wireless, or just cellular data. The only difference in the TCP/IP stack is the speed.
As I said before, I've used the Weather app (unless you are talking about some different sort of weather app - I'm talking about the one in MyLink that there by default) and Pandora with my phone and wifi disabled. As I said, the dealer initially set up the wifi but I never used it and have since forgotten the password. And I never signed up for any data plan. Pandora worked fine from my phone to the MyLink app with just cellular data. But I ditched Pandora long ago.
Yeah, plans do change. Whatever the plan I see little use in a hotspot for my usage pattern. A hotspot might be useful when you're out and about but I tend to be in front of a large desktop or laptop with great connectivity when I'm at home and before covid at work. I don't care to compute from the coffee shop, or if I do it's only casual surfing. I don't strain my eyes attempting to watch TV shows or movies on a tiny screen nor do I want to play video games on such a small screen. I have larger screens and better sound systems to do those sorts of activities. And I don't see a wifi hotspot as any faster than my cellular data plan because after all, that hotspot is only as fast as that. There may be a very few situations where I might want to use a hotspot. For example, in an airport terminal between flights when I want to have the larger screen of my laptop than my phone's screen but who the hell is flying nowadays anyway?
I think that would first require I get a garage!
Alas, I'm in an apartment and the carport that I park in is too far to connect to my home wifi. If programmed correctly, an app has no idea and does not care what the transport mechanism is, be it wired, wireless, or just cellular data. The only difference in the TCP/IP stack is the speed.
As I said before, I've used the Weather app (unless you are talking about some different sort of weather app - I'm talking about the one in MyLink that there by default) and Pandora with my phone and wifi disabled. As I said, the dealer initially set up the wifi but I never used it and have since forgotten the password. And I never signed up for any data plan. Pandora worked fine from my phone to the MyLink app with just cellular data. But I ditched Pandora long ago.
Yeah, plans do change. Whatever the plan I see little use in a hotspot for my usage pattern. A hotspot might be useful when you're out and about but I tend to be in front of a large desktop or laptop with great connectivity when I'm at home and before covid at work. I don't care to compute from the coffee shop, or if I do it's only casual surfing. I don't strain my eyes attempting to watch TV shows or movies on a tiny screen nor do I want to play video games on such a small screen. I have larger screens and better sound systems to do those sorts of activities. And I don't see a wifi hotspot as any faster than my cellular data plan because after all, that hotspot is only as fast as that. There may be a very few situations where I might want to use a hotspot. For example, in an airport terminal between flights when I want to have the larger screen of my laptop than my phone's screen but who the hell is flying nowadays anyway?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 32,295
Likes: 4,625
Pro
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 655
Likes: 114
From: Orange County, Southern California
Wired Quality is better, so why want wireless?
My comment is more fundamental: I also saw that wireless AA connection is coming out - but what value is that over wired USB (which is already available and works very well)? The bandwidth and frequency range of a wired connection is better than bluetooth.... and I use AA mostly for my music, so why would I want to get worse quality sound? I really don't see plugging in the USB cable to my phone as an onerous task. Just my 2 cents.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,979
Likes: 4,148
From: Kansas City, MO
Think about this too. Even if you could somehow enable it as a software feature, it would crush your phone's battery without mercy. So now you'd either need to add a wireless charging dock, or....plug it in.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
I agree audio sounds much better wired. Then again, I largely play podcasts which usually don't need much frequency. And I agree that charging then becomes important (I also run jbv1 which is an app that connects to my Valentine V1). I think the allure is to be able to leave your phone in your pocket or purse and still use it with AA - sorta a "wow" factor. I think I like the C8's solutions as I understand it you just plop it into the pocket there between the seats and it charges while using wifi to connect to the head unit.
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Life Starts at 120 mph
Joined: Jun 2012
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From: Upstate New York
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[QUOTE=defaria;1602042475]What do you mean by "turned on"? How do you turn it on? How do you turn it off? By "turned on" did you mean "have an active data plan"? Because I believe the wifi is turned on whenever the car is turned on. Occasionally I see "andrew's corvette" as a wifi SID. I can't connect to it. It wants a password which I've long since forgotten. And I don't want a data plan as I already have unlimited data on Sprint.
OP, yes "turned on" meaning having an active Blue Star data plan. I have mine connected to my home wifi and the car uses it for updates and sending notifications. But, once I drive away of course it disconnects, no more wifi.
OP, yes "turned on" meaning having an active Blue Star data plan. I have mine connected to my home wifi and the car uses it for updates and sending notifications. But, once I drive away of course it disconnects, no more wifi.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,319
Likes: 822
From: Melbourne FL
When you go to settings, just before WiFi, it says Software Information. You can manually check for updates to the infotainment system. Usually it's just bug fixes you never notice, like updates to your phone. I don't recall ever getting a notice on the Vette, but I get at least 1 update a year on my Lexus (uses the HD FM antenna, not wifi). One fixed a common screen-freezing issue. This year it added Alexa.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Are you sure it can be updated that way? I think the Software Information stuff just tells you the software version numbers. If updating MyLink was doable through Wifi I would think I would not have had to have the dealer update my 2016's firmware to support AA nor to have the update applied for the new MRC stuff. Also, I'd think map updates could just be done in that manner too but as I understand it updating your map info involve a totally different procedure. Can somebody verify that you can update a C7's infotainment system through the wifi?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,979
Likes: 4,148
From: Kansas City, MO
GM added some limited connectivity in 2017. It was partially for their nonsense app store. The update functionality may have just been for those apps rather than the whole infotainment system.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,319
Likes: 822
From: Melbourne FL
Are you sure it can be updated that way? I think the Software Information stuff just tells you the software version numbers. If updating MyLink was doable through Wifi I would think I would not have had to have the dealer update my 2016's firmware to support AA nor to have the update applied for the new MRC stuff. Also, I'd think map updates could just be done in that manner too but as I understand it updating your map info involve a totally different procedure. Can somebody verify that you can update a C7's infotainment system through the wifi?
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 3,945
Likes: 1,254
From: Northeast
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,209
From: Phoenix, Arizona
I think this is closer to that truth. Couldn't care less about the nonsense apps in their app store. I have a 2016, btw...
Last edited by defaria; Aug 22, 2020 at 01:55 PM.