WE WANT APPS ON MY FORD TOUCH!

[CinnamonEdge]

Im getting a little annoyed now that I'm hearing we won't get sync3. I just want to be able to update MFT using the WIFI connection and some apps like Pandora. What's wrong with adding this? Those of us that have MFT or MLT payed for a premium system with the hardware for wifi and the option for Apps that is pretty much useless. COME ON FORD. Give us some good news. Its crazy that the basic Sync system gets apps but MFT doesn't. WHO AGREES?

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Have seen a guy "transplant" a Sync3 system into a Sync2 SHO. Supposedly everything works except the nav display in the gauge cluster area. Even that may be resolvable, they think, but that might require a dealer to turn on a thing or two via IDS.

[wlepse]

As much as I would like to have apps, especially since I was told I would have them...I would settle for a system that actually works. Nothing gets me more frustrated than random bugs since I can't plan to work around them, then couple that with the constant BS from dealers trying to pass the issues off as user error.

 

As for the trasplant idea..I would gladly give up that display. Sadly I think the cost to do this will be prohibitive. If the cost of the MFT adder was $895 I am sure the "real" cost is closer to $1200 since that would include the stock base system. Just not sure it is worth that to me since I know it won't help resale later.

[roadkill401]

I would love to get the apps that the US customers get that were blocked from the Canadian customers. I would like to get my vehicle health report function!

[cv27]

I would love to get the apps that the US customers get that were blocked from the Canadian customers. I would like to get my vehicle health report function!

 

Yep, +1

[drpepper]

Apps for MFT or MLT...Hmm.... 4 + years later & none. Now Ford announces done with MFT/MLT & onto sync 3.

You can grow a forum thread as long as we would like but it is PRETTY CLEAR !

Ford isn't doing it.

Edited December 17, 2014 by drpepper

[bce]

Apps for MFT or MLT...Hmm.... 4 + years later & none. Now Ford announces done with MFT/MLT & onto sync 3.

You can grow a forum thread as long as we would like but it is PRETTY CLEAR !

Ford isn't doing it.

 

Yep. Never buy something based on promises down the road. Buy it based on what it does NOW.

Do you know the difference between a car salesman and a computer salesman? The car salesman knows when he is lying.

 

In this case, the car salesman was wearing two hats - car and computer sales.

[roadkill401]

The sad part was that a bunch of the items that we had have been simply taken away. We had the function and now we don't in the name of stability. So nothing ever really got fixed.

 

In the hypothetical sense, would you be happy if you bought a car with heated seats and a heated steering wheel, but because they sometimes would not function right, the fix offered (without telling you first) was to simply take the function away.. but if you buy the NEW car we will be releasing in the future, you can get those features you already paid for back (hopefully)

[bce]

The sad part was that a bunch of the items that we had have been simply taken away. We had the function and now we don't in the name of stability. So nothing ever really got fixed.

 

In the hypothetical sense, would you be happy if you bought a car with heated seats and a heated steering wheel, but because they sometimes would not function right, the fix offered (without telling you first) was to simply take the function away.. but if you buy the NEW car we will be releasing in the future, you can get those features you already paid for back (hopefully)

What functionality do you think you paid for that they took away? I seriously doubt that you investigated the Edge that closely (for those features) and bought the car solely for that functionality.

 

As for the heated seats, yes I would be pissed. However, I would have investigated the update before I installed it to see what others were reporting. Someone would have reported it before I went to update.

[drpepper]

From an early adopter ...guess it is a different view point. There has been the 1.8, 2.3, 2.4, 2.7,2.8 ,2.11, 3.0, 3.2, 3.6, 3.7 version time line.....

MY biggest gripe- the nav should work better & be more robust for the $$ spent & the underperformance you get. Even more so as MANY move away from car based & use there phones.

 

I guess you haven't brought up the service & tech screens to see what was left incomplete & undeveloped...

I guess you haven't read that Ford did NOT put out Version notes of what is new & what has changed

I am sure many were like me Prior to buying...watching the Ford promos, going to the auto show in February , see the demo in person of what was supposed to be release in summer, & then In Fall 2010 sitting at dealer & playing with the info-entertainment system. Being told there will be apps, there will be update enhancements, there will be the missing items added back from pre-production version you saw at auto show, this is "normal" roll out- get to customer & then wow them little later with enhancement updates....

 

That said- Yes been very stable now that we are 3.6? or wait what is the deal with 3.7- why do we not get ???

BUT

 

Web browser-no, wifi hot spot-no, updates over wifi-no , updates finally moved to usb download vs dealer trip- yes, counter to nowhere- yep we get that goof ball feature, GPS Lat/Long- there & then removed & back & then gone for good- yeah that was nice.., music rotating - was & gone, phone contact address directly to nav- there but never worked, usable- viewer friendly nav input- no- many must use the destination app or send to sync with mapquest to get that, sync app link- no, HD radio was all or nothing for FM/AM- yes now fixed to be independent selection, fan speed indicator removed from display & the temp removed- yes after complaining- temp came back & fan changed to a display "on demand" when changing only- but hey it came back, daylight savings button that is confusing & changes when you sync to gps clock- yep we get that dumb feature, calendar that does not refresh unless you press a button & that is all it does- no integration with any thing else,

[omar302]

From an early adopter ...guess it is a different view point. There has been the 1.8, 2.3, 2.4, 2.7,2.8 ,2.11, 3.0, 3.2, 3.6, 3.7 version time line.....

MY biggest gripe- the nav should work better & be more robust for the $$ spent & the underperformance you get. Even more so as MANY move away from car based & use there phones.

 

I guess you haven't brought up the service & tech screens to see what was left incomplete & undeveloped...

I guess you haven't read that Ford did NOT put out Version notes of what is new & what has changed

I am sure many were like me Prior to buying...watching the Ford promos, going to the auto show in February , see the demo in person of what was supposed to be release in summer, & then In Fall 2010 sitting at dealer & playing with the info-entertainment system. Being told there will be apps, there will be update enhancements, there will be the missing items added back from pre-production version you saw at auto show, this is "normal" roll out- get to customer & then wow them little later with enhancement updates....

 

That said- Yes been very stable now that we are 3.6? or wait what is the deal with 3.7- why do we not get ???

BUT

 

Web browser-no, wifi hot spot-no, updates over wifi-no , updates finally moved to usb download vs dealer trip- yes, counter to nowhere- yep we get that goof ball feature, GPS Lat/Long- there & then removed & back & then gone for good- yeah that was nice.., music rotating - was & gone, phone contact address directly to nav- there but never worked, usable- viewer friendly nav input- no- many must use the destination app or send to sync with mapquest to get that, sync app link- no, HD radio was all or nothing for FM/AM- yes now fixed to be independent selection, fan speed indicator removed from display & the temp removed- yes after complaining- temp came back & fan changed to a display "on demand" when changing only- but hey it came back, daylight savings button that is confusing & changes when you sync to gps clock- yep we get that dumb feature, calendar that does not refresh unless you press a button & that is all it does- no integration with any thing else,

+Customizable home screen, was there and gone. Ability to set a wallpaper only display, was & gone.

 

Also, don't forget how many years it took Ford to reach version 3.6 with the stability that should have been there from the beginning. Early customers suffered a lot while waiting to reach this point, so Ford should compensate by at least giving more than just stability & at least for several years in the future as much as they made their customers wait for v3.6.

 

And, don't forget all the hassles many went through during each update. All those downloads & dealer visits just to FIX MyFord Touch.

 

YES, I would expect Ford to step UP & give us more features, not just basic fixes. Perhaps a petition should be started.

Edited December 20, 2014 by omar302

[wlepse]

Don't hold your breathe...doubt they will do much else from this point forward. All you can do is take your money elsewhere when the time comes for a new ride. Also make sure anyone you know looking for a new ride knows the type of support you received. Based on my experiences several friends have scratched ford off their list. While the new system will likely work much better it is important people know what kind of support they can expect from ford if things go wrong.

[akirby]

The priority has to be stability for features that 99% of buyers want and use. It sucks that meant removing or not delivering some features but that's the risk you take with a cutting edge product. And while you may not think it was cutting edge due to smartphones this was the first time such a system was introduced in a high volume full line auto mfr.

 

I think ford learned their lesson and won't repeat those mistakes with sync3. Anyone who has done software development understands their dilemma.

 

If you don't like it then don't buy another Ford. I don't quite understand buying a $40K vehicle based on features you can get on a $200 smartphone instead of the vehicle itself. But that's your prerogative.

 

That said I'm sure 99.9% of owners prefer stability for basic features over the gee whiz stuff. In the end it's a business decision.

[Supernaut]

I just now bought a 2014 edge limited. I can't speak for what synch does or not. BUT it is profoundly stupid that they don't just use an existing tablet, with all the third party support that we know comes with it, rather than try and fail to reinvent a touch screen wheel they clearly don't understand. The option shouldn't be synch, but apple or android.

[Waldo]

I just now bought a 2014 edge limited. I can't speak for what synch does or not. BUT it is profoundly stupid that they don't just use an existing tablet, with all the third party support that we know comes with it, rather than try and fail to reinvent a touch screen wheel they clearly don't understand. The option shouldn't be synch, but apple or android.

 

The thing is apple and android don't have to conform to FMVSS standards and the tablets aren't designed to withstand the heating/cooling/vibration and long life requirements of automotive components.

 

There is a lot more to designing automotive systems than it appears on the surface.

[akirby]

What Waldo said. If it was that simple everyone would be doing it. As for "support" - there isn't any. You're at the mercy of the tablet supplier and the app developers. And they're not designed to last 10-20 years either.

 

The touch screens all come from the same manufacturers - Ford isn't building their own. It's off the shelf stuff. And they're using off the shelf OS and HTML5 underneath the sync 3 application. But they have 100% control over all of the software - you wouldn't have that with a tablet.

[PrinzII]

Quite honestly, I would like to be able to use apps like Waze on my touch screen using AppLink.

[Libra1224]

I guess I haven't fully understood why this feature shows but we can't access or use it. Doesn't make sense to me.

[CinnamonEdge]

It looks like it would let you download an app if apps existed for it

[sabasigh]

pretty good interview with Connected Vehicle and Services Executive Director Don Butler at: http://www.engadget.com/2015/01/14/ford-sync-3-applink-3.0-navigation/

 

Tiny blurb on "continue to upgrade Sync Gen 2 and MFT" at about 6:35 in.

 

Take it for what it's worth...which ain't much, lol

Edited January 17, 2015 by sabasigh

[roadkill401]

Oh, so the API that was there for Sync 2, and Ford held so tight that nobody could develop for it. Now that you have moved to Sync 3 and opened it up, will you do the same for the Sync 2 so we can get apps?

[PrinzII]

The big concern will be the hardware itself. Will that be updated as well to accommodate more smartphones and tablets?

[PrinzII]

My Galaxy S5 has a feature called Mirror Link which, if my phone is connected via USB, will allow my apps to be controlled via the touch screen. I wonder if the next Sync will implement it? Will we who own older Edges get it?

[cclaxton]

I have a 2014 Edge with MyTouch Nav. I just did the latest update.

The Navigation System is horrible:

- Search by POI usually won't find the business or location you are searching for...it is nearly useless unless you are looking for a big name like Walmart or a Gas Station.

- Entering the address by typing is incredibly painful and slow. There is no way to change the State.

- Changing the State is an exercise in frustration

- The actual navigation traffic rarely shows actual slow or stopped traffic. Instead you repeatedly get "Incident boxes" that tell you something ahead, like "vehicle broken down on roadway" It is nearly impossible to figure out the relevance. Google Maps works GREAT. I use Google Maps for traffic, and can't trust Ford Navigation.

- The Navigation doesn't give you context as to where it is taking you. If you miss a turn, it doesn't say "Missed turn, send you to make a U-turn"....you just blindly go where it sends you, which can be miles out of the way...just to make a Uturn.

- There is no way to select alternate routes, as you can in Google Maps;

- THere is no way to send addresses from Google Maps to the Navigation System.

- The last update that was done deleted all but six of my Favorite Destinations. Ironically, it kept all the Recent Destinations.

- There is no way to back up the addresses or phone numbers in the system

- Speed Limit sign is too small to read.

 

Phone/Text integration works pretty good.

Stereo/XM works really great

Climate works pretty good.

 

Here is what I want: An App that takes Google Maps and puts it on MyTouch to replace the Navigation System.

OR, at least a way to sync the Google Maps destinations so that when I search, I am using Google Maps search, and finding a good address, and then have that address set as the Ford Navigation Destination.

 

I am ready to go out and write the app myself.

 

Frustrated in Navigation land.

Cody

[ls973800]

My 2013 works pretty well. If I miss a turn, it almost immediately tells me to make a legal U-turn, or re-routes within seconds. You can also see a list of turns and how far before the next one. If I am on a route, I will usually have the NAV function on the small dash screen, and the map on the large center console screen. Pretty hard to miss a turn when using both in combination, or even when just using one, in my opinion.

 

You can also use a smartphone map such as Google, Yahoo, etc and have the spoken directions from that source announced through your Ford sound system by using the BlueTooth connection. The map doesn't appear, but at least you have those spoken directions from a map source you tend to like other than the Ford map. I know of several owners on a different forum who use the smartphone map on their phone with the directions via BT, and have the car navigation map on the screen as a back up and reference source to coincide with the spoken directions. That way they are not always glancing at the smartphone to see up coming turns or where they are at.

Google maps lost the ability several years ago(?) to send to the car from a computer. Mapquest still allows you to send the info once you have selected an address and directions.

 

Instead of typing, why not speak the address? Much quicker and pretty accurate.

 

Any time I have not been able to find a POI, I have used the SERVICES function, and asked for business search. Usually I have been able to obtain the address of what I am looking for, and have it sent to the car.

 

If the SERVICES feature can not find the POI, I then use one of the included calls to speak to an advisory/operator who will find the POI and send the information to the car. I received 3 years of free SYNC SERVICES when I purchased the car, and obtained 20 free caller assists per year. Each year I had to notify them I was renewing the SERVICES (either by phone or online, I don't recall which) and I would get another year plus 20 additional free calls. I am coming up to my 3rd year of ownership and have 54 calls remaining. They accumulate if not used and if you renewal each year. After the third year, for the Ford SERVICES, there is a $60.00 charge.

 

I have an Android smartphone (Samsung Galaxy 4) and have downloaded an app called SYNC DESTINATIONS. I am able to enter an address in that app and then send it to the car. There are also other features with that app which I haven't used or explored, but they include Find My Car, Manage Saved Points, View Traffic, Route Me To, and other features. Great way to find something and send directions to your car if you are not near a computer using Mapquest.

 

I think you will get used to the in car navigation with a little use and practice. It's not too bad in my opinion. My biggest problem is that is does what I ask it to do, not what I want it to do occasionally. In other words, it's operator error and something I am saying, doing, or asking wrong.