Toyota removing pandora integrated app

Honestly though, Im currently trying to cope with my head unit soft resetting when receiving or making a call. Took it in once, they did a hard reset and told me to come back and let them know if it does it again. Started doing it again this week. For me at least, I need my head unit to function before I can even start stressing about "features."

 

That’s right!

 

I'm a podcast listener, but occasionally did listen to pandora via etunes. the best part was the integrated Pandora app didn't play commercials compared to streaming via bluetooth from the phone (and relative ease at thumbing stuff up or down).

The worst part (of many) was sometimes after shutting the truck off with the etunes pandora running, some version of pandora kept playing on my phone, but there was no app open (I could open my phone's pandora and have two streams going at once). Had to reboot phone (pixel 2) to get it to stop the phantom app running.

I don't much care that they are removing Pandora, but if Toyota is going to just let these third-party applications bail without refreshing with new ones, that sucks. Say goodbye to Pandora, but hello to Spotify would be perfectly fine. Even better... just let tech companies provide the tech (i.e. apple and google) but they don't want to reliquinsh this control. bummer.

And just curious... did anyone ever use facebook or opentable via etunes?

 

Some manufactures use updates to give the customers new features, Toyota removes features.

 

Does anyone know if there is or will be a Canadian update? We don’t have etune but gracenote.

 

Just mounted this in my truck and couldn't be happier.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...g-tacos-phone-tablet-or-anything-else.565951/

 

Yup... I didn't explicitly buy the tacoma for the entune... but do like having pandora and the few apps we do have er... had. Ugh so frustrating

 

I wonder if you can just "opt out" of the update by not accepting it? Any thoughts?

 

Apps subject to change at any time... BS

 

It would be nice to see Carplay/Android Auto updates (don't know if the hardware can support), but overall I can't complain too much about the HU. I mostly use an ipod through USB for music and find the weather app pretty neat.

 

You can; I have had 3 over-the-air updates since owning the truck, but I imagine it will continue to prompt you each time you start the vehicle.

 

Mirror images except when it comes to resale and reliability.

 

Good to know thanks! Usually I always get updates for other electronics as they add features... this seems like a step backwards to me... what is the benefit of updating?

 

The carplay unit in my wife's car is awesome. I think I'm going to buy an aftermarket carplay compatible head unit so that I can get it in my truck. It does so much more than regular bluetooth can.

 

Considering the 2019 Avalon has CarPlay, you can see where this is headed. Toyota has most likely stopped development on Entune.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/15/...carplay-2019-models-avalon-naims-detroit-2018

https://www.toyota.com/avalon/avalon-features/

 

I don't think it's just a Toyota thing, it's the app developers as well. They are mainly focused on making their apps work on the current Android and iOS releases and supporting N-2 versions (so for Android, that would be Nougat through P right now, Marshmallow going out of support). I suspect that the Entune HU is either running some flavor of Linux or Android that was close enough for the app developers to compile for -- for a time, anyway. At least on the Android side, there have been some major architectural changes (starting with Oreo).

Most likely the app developers requested that Toyota update their Entune OS for them to effectively support them, but Toyota would have to do a lot of work on their own apps to support an OS upgrade as well, and they cannot (or will not) move at the speed of mobile app developers.

Basically, Pandora and others have a roadmap and can't continue to support old versions, so Toyota is pulling them out. A lot of companies could learn from Netflix, where there are a multitude of devices that still work, you just don't have access to new features when using an old device.

At this point, I think even aftermarket stuff is a bit lacking and in transition. Five years from now I think things will look quite a bit different. Me, I am satisfied with the navigation features and using a USB drive for music for now, and Google Play works well for my wife.

 

Why in the world does anyone need that crap on their radio? Facebook . Seriously?
Drive and listen to the radio . People need less distractions when driving, not more.

 

I believe it was Facebook places? Not sure might have something to do with the destination lookup?

I think having these things on the head unit would be better than fumbling in your phone to change songs ect.

 

I could care less about the apps. However, using car play/android auto for navigation is the superior option to anything car manufacturers put out.

 

interesting that it didn't specifically call out entune 3.0. yeah it's likely a licensing thing and toyota got sick of paying the license costs to these app companies to develop and maintain the apps on the entune platform.