De-Mystifying 'App Connect' and 'Car Net' Option before purchase.

[Ocean Spirit]

I don't know whether Vehicle Manufacturers get a kick out of not telling potential buyers very much about media options or whether I'm just left behind in the way technology has moved on but frankly I find making an informed decision about what would be a useful option takes some doing.
It takes me an awful lot of research just to get to grips with the basics and it can't just be me because I usually have to filter through contradiction on u-tube as well. JLR's 'in control' was easy enough once I got my facts together but a right pain to understand what I was getting for my money. Now here I go again.

So
App Connect is.
1) A way of mirroring Apps from your mobile device (assume tis may be limited to phones) onto your infotainment screen in such a way that you will be familiar with the user interface presented on the screen.
2) The minimum platform you need for this to work, is to have at least Composition Media 6.33"
3) It will mirror Apple, Android and Blackberry apps when plugged in via the genuine phone cable (after market ones may not work).
4) Mirroring and functionality for Apple is known as Car-play, Android is known as Android Auto and Blackberry is known as Mirror Link.
5) The apps that can be mirrored from your mobile device is currently limited by one system or another (I assume it to be the by the mobile's manufacturer rather than VW?)
7) For apple devices Siri can be used for voice command to reply to messages. Maps can be used for navigation and traffic conditions. Not sure about the other 2 platforms.


Car Net
Separate from App Connect and it's usage?
Requires a registration.
Requires a hot spot from your phone or plug in card/stick to get internet connection.

So my first question is..
Do you need to go through the registration process for plug in and play App Connect on a new vehicle?
Edit 30/09/17 : Dealer says yes and Car Net on line services are free for the 1st 3 years.
Counter Edit 30/09/17 : August 2017 brochure says Car Net is only available with Discover media system. So why would Composition media owners need to register? There is no mention of the need in the brochure.

 

[JohnGuppy]

Somewhere I downloaded App connect to phone from apple app store plugged it in and it worked

Car net I did get a registration 7 numbers and 7 made from numbers and letters but never paid for anything

 

[Meoncoast]

Car net I did get a registration 7 numbers and 7 made from numbers and letters but never paid for anything

ditto. if I recal right Did on line entred VIN number and VW sent registration coded entred on Media head set in van after linking van up to hot spot. (via an EE dongle plugged into a UBS plug in glove box)

https://www.volkswagen-car-net.com/portal/en_GB/web/gb/create-profile

as for App Connet not a great phone user -using hands free is about my limit !

 

[Properjob]

Thanks @2020 freedom for that. We found the app connect really useful when we rented one and it worked easily and intuitively. The van had satnav built in but we found that using google maps through app connect was better.

I still don't get what car net is though or why I'd need it?

 

[Meoncoast]

I still don't get what car net is though or why I'd need it?

I have only just started looking at it

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/car-net/guide-and-inform

 

[Properjob]

I have only just started looking at it

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/car-net/guide-and-inform

Ah .. thanks for that, Andy... so it looks as if "car-net" is the name for the overall collection of tech/nav type stuff and one of those is app connect...

 

[zcsccg1]

App connect worked as soon as I got the vehicle and figured out the cable i'd connected wasn't compatible. Once the cable was correct and downloaded the Android Auto app onto the phone it worked and is pretty straightforward to use. Limited to Google Maps, Telephone interface, Google Music or Amazon Music and that's about it.

A good value option though instead of the Sat Nav.

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Found this told me stuff I hoped but didn't know
https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/apple/how-use-carplay-tips-tricks-troubleshooting-3655285/

 

[GrannyJen]

I'm a luddite.

The first time I plugged my I Phone into one of the USB sockets it asked me do I want to use it for car net or apple play and I simply replied p*iss off

 

[Richard Amey]

App connect will work without having to register for car net. Car net has no charge and as mentioned you simply register online with your VIN and offers additional services such as weather and info on the local area...you do need to tether to a phone or usb WiFi dongle. I’m yet to be convinced it’s worth it. I’d echo the comments on the sat nav. Maps with app connect work brilliantly (as long as you have data). App connect also works well for Apple music, phone and texts. For the latter it will read them out to you and let you reply by voice...with sometimes very comical interpretations.

 

[hirsty]

As above App Connect is (a chargeable) sub option of the broader (free of charge) Car Net services. It's all still in its infancy & not all that well integrated on the current California yet, relative to other VWs.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/car-net

I've seen some basic service info on my computer that's been uploaded from/by the van, but nothing amazing. I've read that you can upload POIs to the web at leisure & then download to the van etc - Mike & Tom @Amarillo have posted about previously.

Summary:
Car Net you get anyway, and if you're the kind of person who's into that stuff you'll have already worked it out by yourself (and likely find it a bit meh).

App Connect is cheaper to order new than to retrofit, and again you'll already know if you're the kind of person who'll connect a smartphone to their stereo / satnav. There's a good argument that it somewhat future-proofs satnav by exploiting the ongoing improvement in phones & apps for nav & entertainment, rather than your otherwise static media / satnav headunit with only minor annual map updates.

The incredibly expensive headunit in my 2002 Audi Allroad was state of the art at the time, but would now be laughably dated 15-years later - CarPlay or equivalent will help your Cali keep up a bit better IMO.

 

[GrannyJen]

I'm a total techno numpty but I've managed to connect to car-net and wondered why I bothered.

I can get traffic but so can whatever breed of sat-nav I'm using at the time. It can tell me the weather at my destination except it can't quite work out that Manchester and Saddleworth have two entirely different weather systems generally so I will have to stop and manually tell it to look at Huddersfield, although I will have Saddleworth open on my I Pad anyway. The rest hardly seems worth a fiddle with.

 

[Jerseyroberts]

I am not technology advanced but like many I enjoy listening to music and use my phone for this purpose. Do I need App connect to play music from my phone through the VW stereo (I have/ordered media composition 6'33 radio unit)? I thought you could just plug the phone (iPhone) in and play music through a USB or even Bluetooth?

Thanks for any advice

 

[GrannyJen]

I play music via the USB socket in the glove compartment. It works quite well. Failing that bluetooth connectivity is also good. You do not need app connect, car play or any of that fancy stuff.

 

[Jerseyroberts]

I play music via the USB socket in the glove compartment. It works quite well. Failing that bluetooth connectivity is also good. You do not need app connect, car play or any of that fancy stuff.

Thanks for your reply. So I need to plug it in near the glove box on the passenger side. Can I then use the screen to choose between songs etc? Is it touch screen? Do I use the screen to answer phone? I have only owned and driven cars pre 2001 so have no idea what new cars/vans come like!

 

[GrannyJen]

A lot will depend on the spec of van ordered but the USB in the passenger side glovebox can be selected as the audio source and you can then have pretty full functional control via the touch screen. Phone is also answered via the touch screen although I have a separate cheap phone connected via bluetooth for calls.,

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Stumbled on this today

 

[SimonB]

A really helpful video that explains what App-Connect and Android Auto should do. A good find, thanks for posting @2020 freedom

 

[JohnGuppy]

I started my T6 and moved it 10 feet and got an email telling me to avoid short journeys

 

[Ocean Spirit]

I started my T6 and moved it 10 feet and got an email telling me to avoid short journeys

Do you have the data plug?
That always tells you a similar thing and I'm wondering if you didn't unsubscribe from their notifications etc. I don't think its anything to do with App Connect. Could be car net???

 

[Edgar]

Any managed to use app connect over Bluetooth? Hate having to use a usb cable!

Do you think you get it to work with a wireless charger with usb connection?

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Any managed to use app connect over Bluetooth? Hate having to use a usb cable!

Do you think you get it to work with a wireless charger with usb connection?

With a different head unit I believe it's possible.

how-to-make-apple-carplay-wireless

 

[RoB5urf]

Android Auto supports WiFi connection but I don't think the standard Cali head units do. Upside of connecting using a cable is your phone is being charged.

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