New Sync Version (Gen2 - V3.8)

[akirby]

Wait - - do you guys think this is a Ford thing? It's not. It's an apple thing. It's been available in other vehicles for at least 2 years. Ford is simply using the apple Siri Bluetooth interface. How it works is entirely up to Apple.

[FordIVTteam]

Hi Tacyon,

 

Have you tried soft resetting your iPhone by holding the POWER BUTTON and HOME BUTTON until the Apple logo appears?

Also, try a clean pairing by deleting SYNC from your phone (FORGET THIS DEVICE in Bluetooth settings) and then deleting your phone from SYNC.

 

Here you can find the step to pair your device after you've done the steps above: https://owner.ford.com/how-tos/sync-technology/myford-touch/phone-setup/how-to-pair-your-phone-with-sync-with-myford-touch.html

 

Let me know if that works.

 

Whitney

 

[Tacyon]

I had to do a repairing after this update. I have rebooted the iphone as well. I just updated to the 9.2 software this morning. (new update available as of friday) so I'll try it again now that the iphone is on the most current iOS now. I have my doubts that iOS update will correct this as it's just NOW out and the MFT update has been out since Oct.

Can anyone confirm their settings on the iPhone?

[bce]

I had to do a repairing after this update. I have rebooted the iphone as well. I just updated to the 9.2 software this morning. (new update available as of friday) so I'll try it again now that the iphone is on the most current iOS now. I have my doubts that iOS update will correct this as it's just NOW out and the MFT update has been out since Oct.

Can anyone confirm their settings on the iPhone?

Tried it again last night. Worked as I remembered. It worked with 9.1 as well as 9.2.

 

I also tried opening an app and it refused to do that. I hadn't tried that before.

 

Not sure what setting you want be to report on.

[joesworld]

Tacyon,

 

Your problems aren't a Ford restriction -- it's entirely Apple. All MFT does is pass through your voice to the phone and your iPhone handles the rest. Holding the voice button only triggers the direct connection to the phone.

 

Here's what worked for me. In Settings > Touch ID & Passcode, make sure all toggles are enabled (voice dial, and all the "allow access when locked").

[drpepper]

Again..DO you think a car company that now sells INFOENTERTAINMENT and uses this to drive sales & increase profits does a customer good by not providing release notes on software versions?

Not providing a quick "how to " use a new feature? Quick bullet points on what the new feature can do and can not do?

 

That was my point - Hey this new feature calls on Siri. full functionality- or wait---calls on Siri for specific car functionality ...IE it is mainly for reply to text and ..... it may not be able to do .... see Apple help quid .xxx for more details and limits....

 

You do realize the "been avail in other vehicles AT LEAST 2 Years" is a backwards slap since MFT was 5+ years ago & now we get a feature that was never there after many others get it? and then it is not clear on what it can do?

 

again...Thanks for at least having it- NOW...been so used to pressing the iphone now that not sure how much I will use...

 

Won't even get into the SNEAKY way of Corp. slyly fixes items they do not want to admit were wrong- ambient lighting reset, phone & text ringer reset after 20 hours forced reboot in background- which they all deny happens but it does!

 

Oh yea- after 3 months of a regional rep and a Field service engineer involvement and several weeks of rental car all tied up in the lie of corp messed it up & corp fixes on the sly and won't be honest about it.

Hey at least it was fixed after my and many other posters very detail & long posts- repeatedly. Thanks but then break the breadcrumbs., open a case number ^& I watched that be ignored.....

Edited December 14, 2015 by drpepper

[tloewenberg]

I totally agree with your release notes comment. I've had numerous media player issues since "updating." Since my system was operating fine with V3.6, I perhaps would have made a different choice had I had read some release notes and saw nothing of benefit. Now, I have issues (previous replies to this thread) to live with until the "next" update. Fortunately, I've found a work around.

Again..DO you think a car company that now sells INFOENTERTAINMENT and uses this to drive sales & increase profits does a customer good by not providing release notes on software versions?

Edited December 14, 2015 by tloewenberg

[akirby]

I hate MFT and I hate Ford.

 

Yeah yeah - we get it.

 

Let's face it - at this point nothing Ford does would make you happy. Why do you still drive a Ford? Why not trade it for something you like?

[drpepper]

 

Yeah yeah - we get it.

 

Let's face it - at this point nothing Ford does would make you happy. Why do you still drive a Ford? Why not trade it for something you like?

 

OK there we go again by a moderator...

 

1st REMOVE a quote that I did not say... The "I hate ..." is not in my post and not the message I conveyed!!!

 

2nd- Snarky reply by a mod is not helpful-" why drive.... why not trade in ..." Does nothing to address MY POINT that was just SUPPORTED by another poster- Mainly- Release notes would be helpful. The positive highlights on what new features you can use & how to use them & even the negatives- what goofs were actually fixed. Geeze we see this all the time in EVERY app on a smart phone- the humility is always there from that side.

 

3rd my last point on how FORD corporate REFUSED to assist a dealer, regional rep, and a even the regional Field service engineer & wasted many man hours and rental cars expense ( charged back to ford not me paying) you than treated as - no comment on that point- and just choose to highlight ME instead of THEM??? Please!!!

 

MY recurring points addresses my observations and many other posters... There is always something lacking or something done less than 100%.

Edited December 14, 2015 by drpepper

[akirby]

And which software company produces 100% error free code and is 100% transparent about bugs in their code? NOBODY!

 

Not saying Ford is right on any of this but your expectations are unrealistic and your constant rants (too many breadcrumbs???) about it for the last 5 years are tiresome.

 

It is what it is and it's not going to change.

[drpepper]

And which software company produces 100% error free code and is 100% transparent about bugs in their code? NOBODY!

 

Not saying Ford is right on any of this but your expectations are unrealistic and your constant rants (too many breadcrumbs???) about it for the last 5 years are tiresome.

 

It is what it is and it's not going to change.

 

"It is what it is and it's not going to change." "expectations are unrealistic"

 

OH but is HAS changed over & over! Ford is just not timely and it takes many iterations.

 

And those realistic expectations and the "rants" have drawn attention & gotten most items resolved ( in time and iterations) and I have ensured i received remuneration in the process for my time investment.

 

That being said- back on focus... Ford did on MFT/MLT v 3.8 magically resolve the Ambient light/phone/text ringer issue (thanks ford) and added the call Siri feature ( Thanks Ford).

 

Lets see posts on how owners are using that added call Siri feature.

[Tacyon]

I'm considering moving this (my issue here) to a new thread with links here. What do you think Akirby?

 

Testing last night .. interesting results. And I'm still NOT convinced that its a Apple thing. I could be wrong but the tests are still not conclusive.

 

I did these tests last night and did each one right after the other. While driving, pressed steering wheel button, got Siri, and had to following.

 

Me: "Tell Brandon this is a test."

Siri: Your message to Brandon is "this is a test" ok to send?

Me: Yes.

[Worked]

 

Me: "Text Brandon this is test2."

Siri: Your message to Brandon is "this is test2" ok to send?

[Worked as well]

Me: "Open Pandora"

Siri: Hmm, Sorry Lane I can't do that while you're in the car."

[DENIED]

Me: "Tell Brandon this is a test."

Siri: Hmm Sorry I can't do that while you're in the car."

[DENIED]

Me: "Text Brandon this is a test."

Siri: Hmm Sorry I can't do that while you're in the car."

[DENIED]

So it would appear that the texting works until you get denied by attempting to run a third part app on the iPhone. Then everything attempted after that failure is also a denial. Can any one else confirm? And for sake of testing, use Pandora as the "third party" app to test with.

"Direct to Siri" via button on iPhone (no MFT involved) works every time, any sequence. I'm willing to concede that Siri might be getting notified by MFT that its in a car and therefore being accommodating is verboten. But .. the testing does not bear that out. You're assuming that its Apple as much as I am that its Ford's MFT causing it. Of the two, despite my personal opinions on Apple, their track record is better than Ford's MFT.

[joesworld] Yeah, those were the first settings I tested.

[akirby]

 

I'm considering moving this (my issue here) to a new thread with links here. What do you think Akirby?

 

Testing last night .. interesting results. And I'm still NOT convinced that its a Apple thing. I could be wrong but the tests are still not conclusive.

 

I did these tests last night and did each one right after the other. While driving, pressed steering wheel button, got Siri, and had to following.

 

Me: "Tell Brandon this is a test."

Siri: Your message to Brandon is "this is a test" ok to send?

Me: Yes.

[Worked]

 

Me: "Text Brandon this is test2."

Siri: Your message to Brandon is "this is test2" ok to send?

[Worked as well]

Me: "Open Pandora"

Siri: Hmm, Sorry Lane I can't do that while you're in the car."

[DENIED]

Me: "Tell Brandon this is a test."

Siri: Hmm Sorry I can't do that while you're in the car."

[DENIED]

Me: "Text Brandon this is a test."

Siri: Hmm Sorry I can't do that while you're in the car."

[DENIED]

So it would appear that the texting works until you get denied by attempting to run a third part app on the iPhone. Then everything attempted after that failure is also a denial. Can any one else confirm? And for sake of testing, use Pandora as the "third party" app to test with.

"Direct to Siri" via button on iPhone (no MFT involved) works every time, any sequence. I'm willing to concede that Siri might be getting notified by MFT that its in a car and therefore being accommodating is verboten. But .. the testing does not bear that out. You're assuming that its Apple as much as I am that its Ford's MFT causing it. Of the two, despite my personal opinions on Apple, their track record is better than Ford's MFT.

[joesworld] Yeah, those were the first settings I tested.

 

 

When you press the button on the iphone it gets the command from the iphone microphone. It knows you're talking directly to it.

 

When you use Siri eyes free, the commands are sent from MFT via the car microphone over bluetooth to the iphone. The iphone knows it's getting those commands from a car. It works the same way for all vehicles. This function is generic and applies to all vehicle mfrs.

 

So that's why Siri treats it differently.

 

Since SIRI is the one telling you it can't do that (not MFT) and it works this way on multiple vehicles from different mfrs the only logical conclusion is that the restriction is coming from Apple.

 

 

 

Now back to your test - if that's true then it sounds like there is a flag in Siri that isn't being reset after it denies the Pandora request. I'll try to test it.

[xK317Hx]

The only bug I've noticed is when I send or receive a text sometimes MFT switches from radio to IPhone for my music source. So I have to manually switch back to radio.

Edited December 14, 2015 by xK317Hx

[akirby]

The only bug I've noticed is when I send or receive a text sometimes MFT switches from radio to IPhone for my music source. So I have to manually switch back to radio.

 

That happened to me once a couple of weeks ago - can't remember if it was a text or a phone call. I thought I hit a wrong button somewhere.

[wilsons66604]

I was glad to see Ford released an update that allows me to go around it's crappy MyFord touch interface and go directly to SIRI!

THANK YOU FORD!

 

The past few months I have been car shopping. I see where Ford has a few new versions of sync. As far as I can tell, Ford is confused about the direction they should go. Is Sync 3 actually based on blackberry?? WTF
I also noticed a press release that promised more support for Car Play will be coming. This is the same type of crap I heard 6yrs ago when they said my Edge's MFT would get Applink. (I guess they finally did it in Sync 3)

 

Well, This confused tech direction is keeping me out of the Ford show rooms. The GMC looks pretty interesting since it has CarPlay.

[akirby]

No confusion - Ford announced last year they were moving to QNX for sync 3. QNX is used by many many mfrs for years now. It's a real time operating system and arguably better for this type of application. It wasn't developed by Blackberry - they just bought it. And it will outlive Blackberry.

 

Sync 3 is QNX with HTML5 rather than windows mobile with flash. It also comes with a new APIM and capacitive touch screen like a smartphone or tablet.

 

Sync 3 is how they're fixing the problems with MFT (and yes it will come with problems of its own like every other piece of software ever written).

[akirby]

BTW - I'm pretty sure Ford's efforts with applink and other features were torpedoed by all of the MFT and apim problems. The new platform shouldn't have those limitations but it's understandable for anyone to be skeptical.

 

You also have to realize that 99.9% of the buying public probably wouldn't consider those types of features as deal breakers.

[luminator]

All I want is Android Auto control, or a form of it. As an IT professional I find the limitations and restrictions of Apple devices horrible for a personal device. I use it for corporate devices because I can lock down phones very well but personal phones I do not want that.

[akirby]

Depends on what you want to do with it I guess. I'm also an IT professional (29 years) and I find apple devices work perfectly fine for me 99% of the time. Then again I typically only use them for basic functionality.

[akirby]

I tested it yesterday. First time it behaved exactly like Tacyon posted including the phrase Siri used (Sorry I can't do that while you're in the car). Once I asked her to open pandora I was locked out.

 

But the second time I did it - after reconnecting my iphone - the message changed to "Sorry Kirbster I can't do that while you're in the car" but then I was able to continue texting and getting weather reports.

 

More testing required.

[Tacyon]

My testing last night was a variation of my first test in that I wanted to make sure it wasn't somehow related to Pandora.

 

Brings to mind a scene from The Jerk when Steve was working at the gas station and a sniper was tring to shoot him and kept hitting the quart sized containers of oil. He yells, they hate the OIL.

 

I wanted to make sure Apple didn't just hate Pandora. So I repeated the same test only I used google maps vs Pandora.

 

I asked for the nearest pizza place, Siri found one and would gladly direct me to one. But as soon as I asked to "open google maps" (ie. a third party app) I was denied and subsequently denied from any further actions that I had been allowed to do prior to the attempt to open google maps.

 

Next test, make it fail, then shut off the car (only, leave iphone as is, powered up) and then start the car and repeat. I'm betting it'll work again until I attempt to open a third party app and get locked out again.

 

There is something definitely wrong. A test that I can't do that would (might) address the "it's a cmd coming from a automotive vehicle and therefore Siri knows to NOT comply" would be to use a BT headset and try these cmds from there.

[akirby]

So the fact that Siri says "can't do that while you're in the car" isn't proof enough?

[joesworld]

The Apple imposed restriction (by design, and under the pressure of distracted driving laws popping up) is that you can't give it a command that requires powering the screen on, looking at, or interacting with your phone (literally, it has to be 'Eyes Free'). The assumption they make is that opening any app would require turning the screen on and further interaction by the user, which is why that entire feature is "locked out".

 

That doesn't explain the post-pandora command bug you're seeing though but since it's a Siri response it looks like an Apple issue.

[wilsons66604]

Apple maps opened ok for me when I asked Siri for directions to home. Apple wants you to stay with it's maps and other apps.

There used to be a feature where you could ask Siri for directions via transit and she would open google maps. Looks like Apple has squashed that Easter egg.