I drove a 2013 with and really loved the sync system, especially the blue tooth stereo with the track titles / album art.

I ended up buying a nearly-new 2011, without realizing the sync system was a little different. So, I have 2 questions/gripes...

1) Professionally, I am a user interface designer, so needless to say I appreciate the design aesthetic of the newer sync system. The old one looks like it came from 1994 to me. Is there anyway of upgrading the software to the new one, or is it hardware dependent and I'm stuck with it?

2) The iPhone BT stereo sync works great, except it doesn't show song titles or album art, nor does the voice command for song title seem to work like it did in the 2013. If I can't upgrade the sync software, is there any way to make this work? I have an iPhone 4s, but could upgrade to a 5 if that is necessary.


Thanks!

 

For 1 : nope, 13 plus is the new MyFord Touch system. Can't upgrade to that from a previous sync model.
2 : I'm pretty sure there is not a way to do that. May be wrong though

 

I have a 2011 and an iPhone. Be happy the thing auto-connects with your phone. Insofar as updating Sync, did you ever see my last experience trying to update sync?

No?

Here is a repost:

I just made a service appointment for my truck because I found out that the latest Microsoft update for the navigation system in my Ford truck finally displays song info while streaming songs over bluetooth. Let me tell you what led up to making a service appointment:

Displays streaming bluetooth toe-tapper names?

I'm all in.

Downloading.

Oh my. Its Microsoft all over again....

Don't just have a link that works. Oh no, Active X must be active. Silver lining is needed.

Great, it can only detect a maximum of four drives and so it doesn't see my jump drive.

Microsoft, you losers. Why is this hard?

Then, then I finally get the new version on my USB drive and install it onto my Nav and it says "Installation Complete" but fails to restart the navigation system as the directions say it will.

I wait.

I wait.

I hit media.

I give up and restart my truck and the Navi and no title streaming over bluetooth. Near as I can tell the update never installed.

Microsoft! Why?

I'm not good at failing.

I download the installation App again onto my USB.

I reread the directions.

I start the installation process.

I wait.

I wait.

I pound 36 oz of beer.

Installation directions say once the installation is started, it is okay to drive around.

I drive to the store.

I leave my truck running in the lot.

I buy a sandwich.

I come back.

Something different on the screen than "Installation Completed."

"Sweet!" I think. "Bluetooth tags!"

I can't wait.

I pair my iPhone.

I turn on my bluetooth toe-tapers.

I'm so excited.

And then it happens.

"Media Streaming"

No music tags.

Why do you hate me Microsoft?

Why?

 

So... did you ever get it work or did you decide it was impossible?

 

I have the iPhone 5S and do not have the issues some people have. I find it works great.

 

It was impossible. I have no tags either. Bluetooth works well though and people tell me they cannot really tell they're on my truck's speaker phone unless I'm bang down a backwoods trail.

 

Hi EricTheOracle,

As it currently stands, the Bluetooth tags only display when streaming music that is physically stored on the phone. Pandora and other audio apps will vary in functionality, though I haven't seen any of them work with this function as of yet.

mikeyfitz is correct: the user interface is hardware-based and cannot be currently modified. I use a Galaxy S4 (Sprint) that is able to BT stream the song metadata when playing audio that is physically stored on the phone, however none of the music streaming apps seem to have fully bridged that gap. You can also get the sort of functionality you're looking for - such as being able to view album art - by placing your music on a blank USB thumb drive and inserting the drive into SYNC. Through this means, you'll also be able to request your music verbally via song title, album, artist, etc.

Antonio