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dotzero123

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 3, 2018
528
497
Philadelphia Suburbs
I recently upgraded to S4 watch and, for the first time, it works in my car's audio system!!! I tried everything with my S3 and was never able to connect. Anyone else having the same luck?

THANK YOU APPLE!!
 

danmart

macrumors 68000
Apr 24, 2015
1,575
1,074
Lancs, UK
I recently upgraded to S4 watch and, for the first time, it works in my car's audio system!!! I tried everything with my S3 and was never able to connect. Anyone else having the same luck?

THANK YOU APPLE!!
Do you mean that you can stream audio from your Watch to your car stereo? Did you pair the Watch with you head unit?
 

cmbauer

macrumors regular
Sep 27, 2016
193
74
Do you mean that you can stream audio from your Watch to your car stereo? Did you pair the Watch with you head unit?

I was wondering this as well. I would leave my phone at home more if this was the case. But I stream music all the time in the car. Now If I could get carplay on my 300s screen that would be amazing. I am getting used to carplay on my Pionner Deck in my Harley. I love it
 

DDustiNN

macrumors 68030
Jan 27, 2011
2,565
1,497
Do you mean that you can stream audio from your Watch to your car stereo? Did you pair the Watch with you head unit?
That’s what I’m wondering. Is this a thing? If I can leave my phone at home when going to the gym, and stream Apple Music via cellular from watch to car while driving, then from watch to AirPods at the gym, that might be enough for me to pony up and get the cellular plan.
 
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Cnasty

macrumors 68040
Jul 2, 2008
3,336
2,106
CarPlay seems to over ride my watch notifications in my truck.

Is that normal behavior?

Example, text comes across CarPlay instead of watch. I am ok with that but wasn't sure the algorithm there.
 

profets

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2009
5,145
6,273
I recently upgraded to S4 watch and, for the first time, it works in my car's audio system!!! I tried everything with my S3 and was never able to connect. Anyone else having the same luck?

THANK YOU APPLE!!

What exactly are you referring to? Pairing the Watch as a bluetooth device like you'd do with a phone? I've wanted to do this for the past year or so but it never worked in my car.

My Series 3 worked fine with my BMW. It depends on the car.

Really? I also have a BMW, but pairing would always fail with my Series 3. Haven't tried with Series 4 though.
 

barjam

macrumors 6502
Jul 4, 2010
385
186
What exactly are you referring to? Pairing the Watch as a bluetooth device like you'd do with a phone? I've wanted to do this for the past year or so but it never worked in my car.



Really? I also have a BMW, but pairing would always fail with my Series 3. Haven't tried with Series 4 though.


Don't know about BMW but on fords it forces you to have a BT passcode but it is longer than the watch support (8 characters vs 4) but the head unit has a mode to go shorter and then just shows four zeros. From there you can pair.
 

profets

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2009
5,145
6,273
Don't know about BMW but on fords it forces you to have a BT passcode but it is longer than the watch support (8 characters vs 4) but the head unit has a mode to go shorter and then just shows four zeros. From there you can pair.

Doesn’t seem like I can adjust that type of setting. The BMW is using 6 digits, but noticed the Watch shows 5 (it cuts off the leading 0), I wonder if that’s the issue.

Some pics of the process:

25C5D299-1A52-448B-8C3E-043D8341080B.jpeg C95A0B62-8A7D-40DE-A4E2-32C482F3DAE6.jpeg
43370391-6C73-4FB8-8E23-E0CF437ADD94.jpeg 2569EF2A-A690-4BDC-B409-76B0604B5AEB.jpeg
 

dotzero123

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 3, 2018
528
497
Philadelphia Suburbs
I just realized that I made a mistake in my earlier post. When I reported this, my cellphone was - unbeknownst to me - in the back of the car. Terribly sorry for this and embarrassed for the mistake. I was so excited!
 
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profets

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2009
5,145
6,273
I just realized that I made a mistake in my earlier post. When I reported this, my cellphone was - unbeknownst to me - in the back of the car. Terribly sorry for this and embarrassed for the mistake. I was so excited!

Lol, no worries. I'd be pretty excited too.
 
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rugmankc

macrumors 68020
Sep 24, 2014
2,196
648
The last time there was a thread on this, and not sure if MR or my car Forum, it was all ht and miss. Apple has not intentionally incorporated this into software yet. As far as I know.
 

profets

macrumors 603
Mar 18, 2009
5,145
6,273
The last time there was a thread on this, and not sure if MR or my car Forum, it was all ht and miss. Apple has not intentionally incorporated this into software yet. As far as I know.

My guess is that the Watch is looking to connect using A2DP / stereo bluetooth for audio/music and some cars are expecting the HFP / phone connectivity in addition to A2DP. Maybe some vehicles are able to pair to a device just as an audio source and it works.
 
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dotzero123

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 3, 2018
528
497
Philadelphia Suburbs
I read a bit about it and Apple (around the time of the S3 model came out) said that the only apple devices that are designed to pair with auto sound systems are the iPad, phone and laptops. Despite this, some people have had luck pairing. It would make life so much easier. My suspicious side tells me that Apple wants us to need our phones, just a little. :)
 
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ihonda

Suspended
Sep 17, 2009
1,848
195
CarPlay seems to over ride my watch notifications in my truck.

Is that normal behavior?

Example, text comes across CarPlay instead of watch. I am ok with that but wasn't sure the algorithm there.
Very annoying ive always hated this
 
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dthiss01

macrumors member
Sep 29, 2018
75
47
Port Saint Lucie
We have 3 cars a 2016 Tahoe, 2016 Charger SRT and a 2015 Fiat 500E (100% electric). I tried to pair my new S4 with the Charger, it was a no go, maybe try again later. Haven’t yet tried the Tahoe yet, but today I was able to pair with the Fiat and was able to make and receive phone calls from it. I did not try Bluetooth audio in it though. A little closer to leaving the phone at home.
 
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