[dipaola]

This is an interesting problem I've discovered in my Q3, and I'm hoping Audi fixes it fast, cause the problem did not exist in my 2010 and 2013 A4's.

When you connect your iPhone via Bluetooth to the car, it allows for you to make hands free calls, etc....which is great and works as designed. However, the problem is that after the connection is made, you no longer hear notifications from texts from your iphone (they dont come over your iphone speaker or your cars speakers).

The only way you can get the phone to connect and make audible noises over the car, is to go into the MMI menus and then go into the "Media" section and choose your "iPhone" as the source, BUT....this is counter intuitive, as this now stops you from hearing anything else over the cars speaker...you basically have then lost the ability to listen to the radio or to the media jukebox in the car.

I hope I'm explaining this correct, and I hope we have someway to report this to Audi, as it's a HUGE bug and needs to be fixed ASAP.

I can re-produce this problem with anyone who has a Q3 and an iPhone. The problem may also exist on Android phones too, but I dont have an Android phone to test this bug on.

Please tell me others are seeing this so we can get together and find a way to have it fixed by Audi.

 

[rnlabas]

ALL my Audis behave this way with BT iPhone connections - NONE of them have ever allowed SMS or Email notifications thru the car in the past - in addition to those cars in my footer, I've been connected to most all of the range even the latest and the same as yours - and NOPE, NONE of them have allowed either an SMS or email notification thru the car speakers, EVEN if I am streaming audio thru the Media connection - at least I've never heard one and I've driven 100s of miles whilst SMS and emails have come thru to my phone - but don't EVER recall hearing it thru the car speakers - and yes, my phone is was muted for them even though the phone speaker wasn't.

So I'm not sure what to say or add - but I will ask Audi about it ...


So - I stand corrected, somewhat : apparently the Q3 (both 15 & 16) has the oldest MMI version of the moment. In other models, MOST notifications in iOS DO come thru with BT UNLESS the phone (or app notification) is on mute or vibrate only. This is accompanied by a reduction in primary source volume (except Nav) when the notification comes in. I have been driving a 2016 A7 for a bit the past few weeks, and DO get notifications as long as my app is not set to vibrate...

 

[j_vincent]

On my '15 S3 there is a notification through the car speakers when I receive a text. This is probably because I can read and respond to text messages on the MMI screen. No other notifications come through. Android.

 

[dipaola]

J_Vincent, Thanks for confirming it works, as I am POSITIVE the etxt notificatiosn should come through, as it's part of the hands-free profile, and I'm also 1005 sure that it worked this way in my last 2 A4's.

A quick google search shows me this is an on-going problem on iOS (IPhones) and is being experienced by a lot of people.

Roger, can you inform Audi, as they really need to fix this for iOS devices.

 

[liy]

On my '15 S3 there is a notification through the car speakers when I receive a text. This is probably because I can read and respond to text messages on the MMI screen. No other notifications come through. Android.

Exactly how are you able to "read and respond" to text messages on the MMI screen? In the other words, what input have you selected to permit this?

Many thanks!

LIY

 

[dipaola]

I think the A3 has the newer MMI interface which comes with a little dial that you can do touch gestures on, and also allows for SMS interaction probably via Apple Car Play, neither of which are features in the 2015 Q3, but we SHOULD be able to get audible notifications over for text message. AND LET ME BE CLEAR, the problem I have is that neither the phone or the car make a noise, so I literally have no idea that I've even received a text message cause there is no audible notification at all.

 

[j_vincent]

You are correct that the A3/S3 MMI has text capability that the Q3 does not. My post was to point out that cars without that capability, in my experience, don't alert through the system for text messages. I have the same lack of notifications for emails, phone or MMI.

Found this on the Apple discussion board in response to this occurring in other vehicles. Does it offer anything towards a resolution?

1) Swipe up to display and access the control center.
2) On the right of the AirDrop cell you should be able to see another cell with the name of your bluetooth device. For example, when my Sony MBH10 bluetooth hands-free device is connected, the name of that cell is "MBH10".
3) Tap on that cell and you should get a list that allows you to choose where alert tones should be sent to. Select "iPhone". The name of the cell should now become "AirPlay".

That's it ! Alert tones should now be played by your iPhone instead of being sent to the connected bluetooth device.

 

[Ourob0r0s11]

I have a Galaxy S6 Edge (Android) and my phone DOES create a notification sound through the vehicle speakers when connected through bluetooth. It even mutes any music playing to play said notification sound, then resumes play. Don't use iOS, so I can't comment about that. Hope my input helps troubleshooting.

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

 

[dipaola]

So it appears to be an iOS problem and not an Android problem!

 

[rnlabas]

So - I stand corrected, somewhat : apparently the Q3 (both 15 & 16) has the oldest MMI version of the moment. In other models, MOST notifications in iOS DO come thru with BT UNLESS the phone (or app notification) is on mute or vibrate only. This is accompanied by a reduction in primary source volume (except Nav) when the notification comes in. I have been driving a 2016 A7 for a bit the past few weeks, and DO get notifications as long as my app is not set to vibrate...


I'm trying to get more specific details for us -

 

[dipaola]

Thanks Roger....hoping Audi will correct this and/or release a FW update for the MMI for us to install.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

 

[dipaola]

Did you ever get any details....I really would lie to fix this...I find myself missing all sorts of notifications when driving, and if it an important one, thats not good.....

 

[rnlabas]

I can add this : Most of you with Q3s are NOT gonna like this. There are at least 3 current MMI versions and 2 sub-versions of 2 of the main versions of MMI on current cars (back to 2015 models). There is a LOT of variability between the interface pass-thru of iOS notifications within these versions and sub-versions. SOME notification priorities within iOS DO get passed thru, and SOME do NOT. This is NOT always a function of MMI but of iOS.

For example on just this past weekend trip in my Q3, I noticed that I DID get weather notifications but did NOT get SMS or Mail ones, even though BOTH were set to notify me on my phone, which btw, was quite while BT to my car. If I unpaired the BT, the phone notified me as usual (including the weather). I cannot get more info from Audi on this as they say they have set their MMI versions as compatible as practical for the platform and iOS issued to that version. As I said, this is not great or wonderful news, but as Apple continues to revise the iOS, this may or may not change too. Audi just like other manufacturers, tries to build to the latest at the time they code, but is not in the software business either. Apple controls as much legacy integration when they upgrade as anybody AND so do the individual app makers.

On that last note - the weather app I spoke of is a third-party developer and they CHOSE to integrate successful pass thru, while Apple themselves have not in some standard apps.

 

[dipaola]

Do you have any updates from Audi? Do you know if there is a software upgrade for our MMI in the 2015 Q3?

 

[rnlabas]

No news yet ...

 

[dipaola]

Do you know if there are software updates? Maybe one has been released and I can get it.

 

[rnlabas]

Actually I was referring to software updates - none yet.

 

[dipaola]

Thanks Roger. Is there any way to report the problem to Audi so they're aware of it, as its a significant bug

 

[rnlabas]

I've raised it but cannot guarantee a solution ...

 

[dipaola]

Just a follow-up....I had my car looked today by Audi, and they tell me they were able to connect an iPhone 6 and get notifications....very curious to get the car back tomorrow and see if it works.

The Service Manager also told me the technician did a software update for the instrument cluster. Does anyone know what that is, and if it's the same as an MMI update.