Android Phones & MMI Bluetooth

52697 Views 46 Replies 19 Participants Last post by mulletmaster, Mar 14, 2014

Deepmeister

Discussion Starter · Aug 4, 2010

Just got an Android based Samsung Galaxy S but before buying it, could not find much on compatibility of Andriod phones with Audi MMI interfaces. Took the plunge anyway, and thought I would share the findings in case it helps anyone else who may be looking:

1) For BT High, the phone interface does not allow a user to enable or disable RemoteSIM mode. If you pair from the MMI, it will "find" the phone and automatically pair with RemoteSIM enabled. If you want RemoteSIM disabled, delete the pairing and then start the pairing process from the handset and "search" for the car. In the MMI Phone settings, remember to set the Bluetooth to be Visible whilst pairing, it can be set back to Hidden afterwards.

2) With BT High and RemoteSIM enabled, any contacts that are stored in the SIM card will be visible in the MMI. However, call logs such as Missed calls, Received calls, Dialled calls, etc, will be blank on the MMI screen. The SMS text messages will appear on the MMI screen but this is inconvenient as they are stored in the MMI so you cannot read them later on the phone outside the car which is the way it is designed, it is not an Android issue. The external antennas provide better signal quality but only operate on the 2G frequencies, so you will better off in areas which have good 2G signal, but worse off in areas where 3G signals exist but no 2G signal. When RemoteSIM is enabled, the phone becomes "offline" so eMail and other features cease to operate on the handset.

3) With BT High and RemoteSIM disabled, or with BT Low, the situation is more encouraging. All contacts in the phone book become visible on the MMI screen. The call logs such as Missed calls, Received calls, Dialled calls, etc, will be visible on the MMI screen. You will not see SMS messages on the MMI screen, but the messages will be in the phone to read anytime/anywhere. The phone handset antenna will be used so whilst it may be slightly less capable than the external antenna in 2G areas, it will provide coverages in areas where 3G is also available. Other phone online features such as eMail continue to work.

Nothing to do with the A5, but whilst writing, I would say that all the 5 star reviews all over the web are absolutely right, it is an awesome piece of hardware!

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RDStar

· #3 · Aug 14, 2010

I have kinda the same problem.

I used to have a HTC daimond with windows mobile and I could perfectly pair the phone and use the contacts from my phone on the MMI screen.

I have bought a Samsung galaxy S i9000 with Android, I can pair the phone adn call handsfree, but I cannot use the phonebook, so I have to use the phone for dailing and I have to look on the phone screen if someone is calling to know who it is.

As I understood there are 2 kinda bluetooth solutions, one where you only use the SIM card via bluetooth and a built-in phone of the car, the other one is using the car's bluetooth for phonebook and 'headset'

I have the 'cheap' Bluetooth option in my A5

But since it worked fine with a 3 year old windows mobile phone I guess it should work at least as good with a brand new Android phone.

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RDStar

· #5 · Aug 15, 2010

HAWKiS5 said:
It seems rSap/rSIM once was a great idee when there were not so much smart phones around.....using the external antenna, in fact completely remote access the SIM data via Bluetooth from the MMI, as if the SIM was in the car...........a great solution when using an old Nokia 6310i.

The fact that you can NOT use your smartphone anymore (for twitter, foursquare, websites, chat, RSS feeds, e-reader, music playing, navigation, etc, etc, etc) however, makes the rSap/rSIM completely useless when using a modern smartphone like the iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Symbian, etc devices all out there.

In my case, I use the built-in SIM-card reader inside the MMI (in between the 2 SD card slots) and put there a duo-sim card, and then I have the external antenna use, and still can use the smartphone whenever I (or in fact only the passengers!) need to.

Just my $0.02

Thank you for your reply, butr the fact is that me and my wifa are using the car on a regular bases and I don't have a sim reader in between the 2 SD slots.

But it woudn't solve my problems, since my Android phone syncronise my contacts with an exchange server, so in outlook, on my phone, adn on webmail my contacts are always in sync. (As a consultant so my contacts are changing a lot.)

That was the great thing with my old windows mobile phone, the MMI was loading the contacts every time the phone get connected.
And now I just woudl like to have the same features with my Samsung andriod phone.

So if anyone here got their carkit working with their Android phone, I would love te hear how they managed it.

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RDStar

· #7 · Aug 15, 2010

Today I was with a friend who also uses the same windows mobile phine in his BMW car kit, and it was exactly the same problem.

Using windows mobile, the phonebook download works find, using the Android phone you can use the hands-free to place calls, but the phonebook isn't available via the carkit.

So I guess I need to go looking specificly to tweak the setting or something in the android phone and it has probably nothing to do with the A5 built in car kit.

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RDStar

· #14 · Aug 16, 2010

gruffle said:
HTC Desire and 2010 MMI3G work absolutely fine for me.
Phonebook/call lists - no problem.
No tweaking - just setup pairing intially then works.

(with Bluetooth option - high option and messing around with SIM cards seems waste of time to me)

maybe bluetooth bugs in some other phones?

Now on Froyo - still good.

Mayeb I'll try to update to Froyo this week and see what the result is then.

I tried to re-pair teh phone, all goes smooth nuut still the same result.

I start to think that maybe it's a Samsung prob then a Android problem. Since it seems that with a HTC it's no problem.

About the version of the MMI software, It's a 2010 A5 Sportback. Is there somewhere I can check the version number?

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RDStar

· #16 · Aug 18, 2010

Deepmeister said:
When you have connected, is there an icon on the lower part of the MMI screen? It will look like a mobile phone or it will look like a SIM card, just next to the signal strength icon? If you see the SIM card icon, you have connected via rSAP which is not fully supported for Address Book, Call Logs, etc. In this case, assuming you prefer normal Bluetooth with Address Books and Call Logs, delete the pairing on both the car and the phone. Wait until the car shuts off completely (usually half an hour after engine off), then attempt to pair again but from the mobile phone initiating the pairing process rather than the car. That should pair it without rSAP and you may then find better compatibility.

Tnx for the input, I'll check this tonight. :thumbsup:

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RDStar

· #17 · Aug 31, 2010

For those who are interested I found the problem (but no solution yet.)
My samsung Galaxy S synchronise the contacts/mail/calendar with our exchange server.

If I check my contacts there is little square next to the name, this means it's a 'linked' contact.

When I create a contact manually on the phone, it's not a 'linked' contact (no small square next to the name) and that contact is then available via MMI. But the contact does not sync with our exchange server.

For now I haven't managed to 'un-link' an existing contact, nor did I manage to create a contact on the phone that then synchronize with the exchange server.

So I can conclude that it's clearly a problem with the phone.

When I get it solved (The Samsung support is terrible! Giving a very vague answer via e-mail and you cannot reply, the only way to continue to contact is to call an expensive 0900 number where you are in wait very long time.)

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