RDFTS

iTrader: (1)

Boy, I hope that doesn't happen and I have an iPhone. Microsoft doesn't write the code persay for Ford, they just supply the embedded platform. Problems are typically a developer/programming code issue but people always tend to blame Microsoft. Coders can mess it up even if it was iOS. You've never had an iPhone app crash? Heck even this forum app sucks with all its errors but that isn't Apple's fault, it is the forum app developer and they aren't fixing it.

schizbomb

joke

Largefarva

Have you even looked into what iOS in the car is? It's pretty dang cool if you ask me.

iOS in the car is being developed by Apple....not some developer. When it rolls out in the real world (rumored to be next year) it's going to work. And I bet it's going to be a lot more dependable than Sync.

Largefarva

That's quite unfortunate. I was hoping the article I read the other day was accurate.

jgohlke

Happy to see the 14-step process works for folks...it took me forever to track it down. It's compiled from several posts I found, including a very helpful one I originally found on a Taurus forum. Figuring out just the right sequence of what to do when on which device took me a while. Nice to know it's helped some folks.

Apple announced a partnership with several auto manufacturers recently and Ford was noticeably absent from that list. They are partnered with Microsoft and have been for a while, so hooking up with Apple is probably not going to happen. That's unfortunate, in my opinion. I predict it will be a decision that Ford regrets.

Ford makes some great cars and trucks but the tech just isn't that good. And it lags behind several years, at best. The latest Sync/MFT upgrade fixed a bunch of stuff that was pretty awful in the previous version. Off the lot, my 2013 FX4 with Sync/MFT/NAV/Sony made me want to stab the radio with an ice pick. The latest update has really come a long way in making the advertising a reality. Mostly it works like they say. I only want to punch the radio occasionally now....

For those thinking about going back or regretting the upgrade...Well, that's just crazy talk!

Tech in a car is very tough to do well. Tesla is probably leading the pack, with Mercedes in a close 2nd. Even they aren't doing it perfectly. You can spend over $100,000 (US) on a brand new MB S550 and the tech bits will still make you want to beat the dash with a baseball bat. Car manufacturers aren't good at it and the lead times are long.

To counter that, I think they need a strong tech partner. For me, that's Apple. Hands down. Microsoft might have been a good choice 5 years ago, but their track record lately is more misses than hits. Plus their software is generally just plain....well awful. When was the last time I was delighted and surprised by something that Microsoft made? That would be....never.

Apple spends a lot of time on the User Experience. They have a real passion for it. Ford should expect their partners to be as passionate about their contributions as Ford is about the mechanics of the cars and trucks they sell.

I bet walking through the Design and Engineering shops at Ford is a real wonder. Full of bright people very excited about the work they do. And doing some very exciting things.

I'm imagining the MS Sync Software Engineers to be a dull and unimaginative group whipped by schedule deadlines, prodded by bean-counting supervisors and squeezed into mediocrity by the Microsoft Stack Review process. Their crappy software just about ruined a perfectly good $50,000 truck.

Ford deserves better than Microsoft.

vtatds

I agree with the "it's the developers, not the hardware" statement above. I'm a web developer and I loathe dealing with MSFT technology. Don't really have any experience with Apple. But then again, their built on a Unix kernel, so it's pretty straightforward.

At least Sync isn't built in Java, at least as far as I know...

kenny gentry

Heck. At least I hear that some of you have been able to update you sync. My FX4 is three weeks old and when I signed into the website and registered it said I had an update. Did all the steps and when I put the USB thumb drive in the truck it starts the download then says update already installed and then goes directly to a fault and says not compatible with this system. Of coarse go back to website and chat looks and says yes it needs the update. Tried the whole process three times. Get the failure each time. Now ford is emailing me each day wanting me to reply and tell them
It is updated. Tried to get online help and both times the website has gone down for tuneup.

Travel all the time so stopped in at a dealer in Oklahoma and the service department didn't even know how to do what I already had done so I told them forget it. Seems like spending a fortune in this truck I could get better results.

Tolson37

Microsoft will improve but not for our gen of trucks. They bought Nokia mobility and are very close to having a product that's more functional than the apple iPad. Gen 2 of the Surface will be cool.

kenny gentry

Made a reply about my new sync not updating and it didn't post my avatar. Guess there are even gremlins here. Then when I close it out and log back in, wow there it is. Things that make ya go Hmmmmm.

SultanGris

The surface is already far more functional than an ipad, lol!

Apple blows, their stuff is less functional and costs twice as much as the competition. The thing that confuses Apple users is that Apple is Apple, there is virtually only one product choice available if you want a phone or a tablet or a computer. With the competition there are hundreds of manufacturers and choices and quite a lot of them suck, especially the cheaper ones. However if you do a little research and get a top end version they are almost always better than the Apple version except in rare cases when Apple is the first one out. Doesn't take long for them to get surpassed though. They take far too long to improve the product and implement more features. The iphone was super hot and very cool for a minute but by the iphone 3 Android phones slaughtered them and continue to do so at a rapid pace. Android are always improving and adding new things, but apple phones have changed very little. They are finally starting to figure it out I think but I'm not sure if they will ever catch up to android. They will have to try to find a way to revolutionize the industry again like they did with the release of the first iphone.