2020 non-jbl looking for ideas

Howzit? I have zero issues with my non-jbl (not labeled on the speaker grills) 2020 OR but would like a bigger and/or better screen with gps and the ability to pull up Amazon music without fumbling with my phone to make it happen. I dont use discs or thumbdrives cuz I’m on the long side of 50. The problem I have is the stock unit says it can’t connect to my iphone via bluetooth but when I plug it in it works via siri. I spend a couple of months in Baja every year and siri is not available “out there!” Not wanting to upgrade the sound so much as just a better interface for apps and nav. I also dont want to spend $1000 plus install by being upsold at the local stereo installer. Should I just deal with what I have or can you fine folks help a brother out? All input welcome and appreciated!

 

If you want better nav, get a garmin unit that has maps for Baja.
Amazon music and other apps are easiest through Apple CarPlay. The stock radio needs the cable. Lots of aftermarket units can do it wirelessly. But you’ll spend some cash for them. Especially these days with all the shortages

 

My Carplay shows Amazon app but I can’t say play xyz. Is that even a thing? Good info on the garmin but is that an app?

 

What happens is when I leave my place in Baja and I lose Internet connection and go driving anywhere out of Internet range I lose all maps when I turn the vehicle off. There’s no cell coverage where I’m at. So basically I have to ask Siri how do you get where I’m trying to go and not ever turn the vehicle off until I get there.

 

For the garmin, I mean a physical Garmin GPS, like we used back before smartphones. Satellite connectivity.

As for Amazon, you may need to try saying “play “song name” on Amazon music”

dont know if that will work, but it’s worth a shot

 

FWIW, Apple recently, like a couple months ago, put voice control for Apple Music on iPhone. Not sure if it’s specific to Apple Music, but I thought I’d mention it. Don’t know if that translates to other music players.

 

Back about a year ago, they did an update where you could pick a default music service for Siri to use

BUT

it had some major faults.
When they did the update, you could tell Siri to play a song and the first time you did that, Siri would ask you what service you wanted to use, and show you all the available music services you had installed.

The problem was, it only asked you this ONCE and there was (and currently is) no way to change the default service.

 

Oh yeah, I remember that. It interwebs was full of people asking how to make Spotify the default. The answer was wiping the phone and starting over, bringing nothing from your backup. Lots of ticked off Apple users.

 

Thanks for the ideas. I know where I’m going from decades below the border so no stand alone gps. Just want to gauge the time on my drive but the POS loses the signal if/when I shut it off to stuff some tacos down my neck and it’s useless afterward until I get cell service hours later. Today I was driving home along the harbor in San Diego trying to play an album via Amazon music. It kept telling me I had to enable streaming or find a Wi-Fi connection which is BS. I don’t know what the problem was but I switched to a different album and it played. Tech these days! Maybe I’ll go down to the local car stereo slinger and see what they have to offer. I really like that wide screen pioneer but not to the tune of $1200! L O L