[mininoober]

Hi guys, I'm a hardcore Android user and have never liked or used an iPhone as a daily driver, but since the iPhone version of the Connected app blows the Android version away, I bought my friend's old iPhone 4S to use with the car. Here's how I've got it set up, and I'd like your opinions:

The iPhone is connected to the USB port in the center stack and stays in the glovebox, it's always on, and it's always running the Mini Connected application. Since I don't want to pay for an iPhone plan, I took the SIM out and turn the WiFi on.

When I get in the car, my Android phone connects to the bluetooth in the car, and by using an app called Tasker for Android, I set up a task to automatically turn on the wifi hotspot whenever the bluetooth device named "MINI#####" is connected to my phone. Once the hotspot is on, the he iPhone immediately connects to the hotspot and starts playing web radio (or Audible) where I left off. It's a great workaround and a neat little trick I thought up that might help others in the same scenario.

If you haven't used Tasker, I highly recommend it, I use it for automating everything such as: Turning off the lock screen when I'm in the car to avoid having to constantly unlock the phone when using it in the car.

NOW, the question I have for you guys is: Are all the iPhone snap in adapters the same? I'd rather use the snap in adapter in the center armrest instead of dangling a charger cable out of the center stack USB port and stashing the phone in the glovebox.

I see used ones all over eBay for anything from $25 to $200, but will one made for an iPhone 4 work for an iPhone 4s? or a 5/5s?

Any info would be appreciated, hope this helps out others.

 

[imlah]

An iPhone 4/4S has a different connection port to the IPhone 5/5S. So not all the same

 

[mininoober]

An iPhone 4/4S has a different connection port to the IPhone 5/5S. So not all the same

Thanks! Do you know if there's any difference in functionality in the Connected App between iphone versions? Or is the app the same across all versions as long as the iOS version is the same?

The 4S has 8.1.2 on it so I think the functionality is the same.

 

[mininoober]

Are all snap in adapters compatible with the Mini Connected? I see a bunch for the 4/4S, and a few for just the 4, and I'm not sure if the one for the 4 enables the same apps connectivity that the 4/4S type does.

 

[Hat]

Its the ios version that matters not the phone model. As long as apple kep providing updates for earlier models (which they have a nasty habit of not doing) you should be fine.

Nice workaround

 

[jeremybingham]

Very clever that I like it.I too am Apple phobic!

 

[cesarpand]

Nice tip I was thinking on buying an iPhone, I have to get a telephone to test it and define if it works. I don't like iPhone either!

 

[fatherfork]

...As long as apple keep providing updates for earlier models (which they have a nasty habit of not doing)...

The iPhone 4S is over three years old and on the current version of iOS. How much longer than this do you think they should continue supporting hardware?

 

[Hat]

How long do i think? For the life of the phone. How long do i think they really will? Probably the next major release (ios9) will not include the 4/4s. The annoying thing is this isnt for any genuine tech reasons, its pure marketing. They will write something into the code not to accept older phones

 

[uke]

The annoying thing is this isnt for any genuine tech reasons, its pure marketing. They will write something into the code not to accept older phones

Not necessarily. As the hardware evolves, new platform features com into play and code is written that depends on those features being present.

The 4, non-Siri iPhone hardware for example is still recent enough to run 99% of the Siri-enabled code, because most of the base code didn't change. But as IOS advances, new features will be introduced that the 4 phone cannot use. The code will change more and more , and the developers will be spending an increasing amount of time applying hacks and workarounds to support old hardware. Eventually it gets to the point where it just isn't worth supporting the old platforms anymore.

So it isn't entirely planned obsolescence, though I'm guessing that does factor into (it at least from a UX and design perspective). I only know software, there are probably equivalent paradigms in effect on the hardware and manufacturing side (say nobody makes a specific display any longer, or the factories no longer have the tooling required to carve a 10-year old case design).

But yeah, it is still annoying. Progress!

 

[fatherfork]

How long do i think? For the life of the phone...

How do you define "the life of the phone"?

New updates usually run poorly on the oldest hardware, not for planned obsolescence reasons, but because the hardware is slow compared to current technology. Hardware advances and software with it.

How old is your phone and what version of its (officially supported) OS is it running?

 

[profiteroles]

I have a friend with a Samsung S4 only a year old, and it's not got the latest android (I think it's called lollipop) - that's still under its contract! He is miffed!!


I'm an apple guy - though I did watch that programme on BBC about the apple factory workers being treated badly, they have gone down in my estimation a bit!

 

[jeremybingham]

Probably the same with other phone makes though profiterloes,?

 

[cesarpand]

Is there any difference between the connection with iphone4 or iphone 4s?

 

[cesarpand]

Hi, I got an used iphone, whats exactly the name of the app? "tasker for android" that you are using, because I can't find it on the play store. Thanks on advance.