Which Phone? (2014 BRZ)
 

I am completely new to headunits with cell phone integration. I just got my BRZ and since I just moved back the USA from the UK I need a new cell phone ASAP as well.


How useful is the phone integration? As far as phones go my preferences are Windows > Android > Apple... which as far as I have seen is the opposite of the ability to integrate with our headunits. What am I really missing out on by not having the aha (windows phones don't have aha)?
Is the cell phone integration anything lifechanging enough that it should influence my phone purchasing decision?

I have a Samsung Galaxy S4. I really like the phone (rooted and custom rom flashed), was a long time Apple user. The AHA app is a great idea, I really like it. Meaning I really like it when it works, about 1/2 the time it doesn't connect properly. I have to force quit it and reopen, some times even reboot the phone.

If I were in the market for a new phone right now I would get a Nexus 5.

Outside of the AHA connection issues at time, there are no issue with my S4 connecting to the BRZ nav head unit. Works fine streaming via BT, reads my text messages to me, call sound decent for being hands free.

I've had two phones during the short time of owning my BRZ. The first was a Samsung Galaxy S2, and it wouldn't automatically connect 30% of the time. It's easy to manually connect, but that gets old real quick. I now have an iPhone, and it always connects automatically but the car multimedia option is chosen 50% of the time when I pick up a call.

Thanks... I looked at the Nexus 5 and really liked it - but... not available on Verizon :( Grrr stupid Verizon they have the best coverage and good prices but they don't have the good phones (2 phones I was most interested in are the nokia 1020 and the nexus, neither which are on Verizon).

The iPhone 5S is really good at connecting automatically but as @BRZTimeTrials mentioned, it tends to start the music on its own when you don't want to (like turning up the volume knob when in Bluetooth mode on the HU). Becomes very annoying, very quickly.

Also, if you're into that kind of thing, Siri is unusable in my car as it times out before I have the opportunity to speak. And there still doesn't seem to be a way to "trigger" any kind of BT listening mode from the HU (like I've been able to do with my $40 Motorola S305 headset for the last 4+ years...)

I've tried the 5S, Galaxy S4 and my current phone, the Nexus 5. The GS4 would connect 50% of the time but both my iPhone 5S and Nexus 5 connect 85% of the time (phone only). I'm subscribed to Pandora and with my Nexus 5, I can leave Bluetooth and Pandora on and as soon as I get in the car, it starts to play and when I get out, it stops. I can't say I've seen a noticeable difference in battery life in doing this either.

:( more fuel for my "I wish I could get a Nexus" fire... damn it Verizon!!

I've got a Nokia 920 and the 2013 Canadian BRZ head unit - the regular double-din Pioneer. Generally takes about 20 seconds to automatically make the connection when the car is started.


The unit imports my contacts correctly and places and receives phone calls correctly. I also had it reading me text messages for a while, but I must have changed a setting on the phone inadvertently because that stopped.


Audio wise, the head unit functions the same way that a pair of Bluetooth headphones would. So play/pause/next/previous work fine, but choosing songs and playlists must be done on the phone itself.

I have the Lumia 920 and it connects everytime to the factory nav unit, I don't miss not having Aha since I have xbox music and it streams any music I want to listen to. I haven't had any issues at all.

Do you have GDR3 installed? There's an additional option under bluetooth advanced that you might want to check out. I don't have a BRZ, but for what it's worth my Lumia 920 also works flawlessly with my FR-S head unit. :) My 1020 did as well.

I'll check that out, though today hands free texting worked flawlessly. Thanks.

I have the GS4; it's connected every time automatically, and i haven't ever lost the signal for more then a second or two, and even that's only happened a few times. I mostly use it for music, only a few times have i made calls with it. Hands free dialing sucks, at least with the stock HU.

I use a moto x and it connects and stars playing media automatically without fail. It also has really useful driving assists where it detects when you are driving and reads messages out loud through bluetooth and tells you who is calling. It also lets you set your car bluetooth as a trusted device and prevents your phone from activiting the screen lock while connected. It also has really useful voice commands that can be activated without unlocking the phone but I haven't messed with it enough to see if I can get that working in the car.

When in doubt get an iPhone. It will have the most widespread support.