Voice texting via car Bluetooth?

[Andrew Losli]

For years I have used Cortana on my Lumia 950 and had it sync to my car via Ford SYNC (Bluetooth). This allowed me to get phone calls, texts or voice guided directions. However with the Duo it seems like a step backwards and I have seemingly lost functions? The incoming and outgoing phone call work fine as they used to. The problem is with texting and navigation. For example with my old phone I would drive with my radio on and the music would cut off when I would get a text, and Cortana via my cars Bluetooth would say “You have a message from (contact), read it or ignore it” and I would say "read" and it would read it. It would read the text and ask if I wanted to reply and if I said yes it would beep and I could say my message and say “Send” and off it would go without me touching a thing. But now with the Duo the best I get is a window that pops up on the screen in my car indicating a text and I then have to touch the cars screen and push “hear it”. It then reads it to me with no option to reply or anything? Also only about 20% of the texts come through this way the others never show up. Likewise there is no voice navigation from my Duo to my cars Bluetooth. I can see the directions on the screen but no voice. I have a feeling the texting and navigation issues are related, but not sure. Looking for a fix for this…

 

[fonzman78]

I'm pretty sure that Android Auto does this for you. At least for me it does all that.

 

[brau0303]

I received several text's yesterday on my drive home, The Infotainment System I have my Duo paired with notified me of the messages and I had the option to play them, then reply if I wanted to. This was just native interaction between Android and the Vehicle Infotainment system.

Cheers,
BR

 

[KStratMD]

I also I really enjoyed that feature using a Bluetooth headphone while riding my bicycle on Windows Phone. I do not have Android auto or a vehicle infotainment system on my bicycle

 

[Andrew Losli]

I have tried Android Auto and it doesn't do it. With Android Auto if I get a text my phone beeps and then it beeps again through my car speakers. No notification pops up on the cars screen and if I navigate on the cars screen to where the text messages are stored about 20% of the time there is a message there. I can then push another button to hear it. Then it will not let me reply. This process is nothing close to hands free, and the Lumia 950 did this all 100% hands free, you touched or looked at nothing, it was all voice. Likewise as KStatMD mentioned using this with headphones on his bike. I have a Bluetooth speaker that I could also receive calls and texts from 100% hands free receiving and replying with the Lumia, but with the Duo it does absolutely nothing except play music. Unfortunately this is very disappointing on the Duo's part.

 

[anon(5884236)]

Any word? Does this feature work using bluetooth headset?

Duo is great but opening it to check messages is a bother. Problem is fixed if it just reads incoming txt messages via my Earbuds.

 

[Andrew Losli]

I just tried using it with earbuds and it will not text using them, but phone calls work.

 

[MarineDawg]

Back in the Windows Mobile days this was done when paired with Audi MMI 3G, when I went to Android the functionality was gone. My vehicles I believe are too old for Android auto, perhaps things will change with Android 11's release?

 

[Andrew Losli]

My car is a 2019 and my wife's is a 2016. We are both having the same issues and using Ford Sync with the latest updates. I put my sim card back in my Windows phone just to test the cars and to see if they still worked. They both recieved and sent texts flawlessly, so I'm thinking it's not Ford Sync with the issue. I'm hoping an update fixes this soon.

 

[saloei]

You can experiment in Settings\Google\Device Connections\Android Auto
or
Compare those settings from your old phone to the Duo.

 

[Andrew Losli]

I have tried for hours messing with setting and comparing to my old phone with no luck. I have since talked to several Android users who say this has never worked for them.

 

[Durishin]

Welcome to Android. After several years using it, I have found no reliable way to replicate Cortana's skills on a Windows Phone with a Bluetooth connection. No app does it - though some clam to - and Android Auto doesn't do it either.

Oh! And people who never used Win Phone simply cannot seem to grasp the concept of pure, 100% hand-free texting. So, while they may tell you to fiddle with settings and try different apps - you will never get better than having to touch your phone or car screen to get a message read. There will be no hands free back-and-forth conversations. Android just isn't that capable.

 

[Andrew Losli]

That's waht I was afraid of... And because of things like this I will never understand how Windows Phones failed? Make me want to put my sim card back in my Lumia 950 and use it until it completly dies.

 

[jeffchapik]

I was amazed to find this capability missing when I finally switched over to Android. I never realized how good we had it with WM10. Apple doesn't do it either, btw. It seems like such a basic function for it to be missing. Perhaps Microsoft has it patented.

There is an Android app that is supposed to mimic this, but I tried it and it didn't work very well so I deleted it.

 

[saloei]

I still have my Lumia 950Xl and Elite X3. Both phones have Continuum. Ahead of any phone of its time with USB-C, wireless charging and Continuum. But Continuum was the best when mirroring to a TV and using up every pixel on a 65 incher. The best of yestur-year. Keep searching for your solution. When you find it please share.

 

[sebastianhalbig]

The reason for this is simply the fact, that Ford (and a few others) did build its infotainment system in partnership with Microsoft several years ago when Windows Phone was still "a thing". After I discovered this, I really wanted to switch to a car with a system based on this. However things changed and Microsoft dropped Win Phone. Now we're not only left behind with Lumias but also with our cars that have no android auto compatible system.

Long story short: You might need to buy another car. Sad but true.

 

[eshropshire]

For years I have used Cortana on my Lumia 950 and had it sync to my car via Ford SYNC (Bluetooth). This allowed me to get phone calls, texts or voice guided directions. However with the Duo it seems like a step backwards and I have seemingly lost functions? The incoming and outgoing phone call work fine as they used to. The problem is with texting and navigation. For example with my old phone I would drive with my radio on and the music would cut off when I would get a text, and Cortana via my cars Bluetooth would say “You have a message from (contact), read it or ignore it” and I would say "read" and it would read it. It would read the text and ask if I wanted to reply and if I said yes it would beep and I could say my message and say “Send” and off it would go without me touching a thing. But now with the Duo the best I get is a window that pops up on the screen in my car indicating a text and I then have to touch the cars screen and push “hear it”. It then reads it to me with no option to reply or anything? Also only about 20% of the texts come through this way the others never show up. Likewise there is no voice navigation from my Duo to my cars Bluetooth. I can see the directions on the screen but no voice. I have a feeling the texting and navigation issues are related, but not sure. Looking for a fix for this…

I have a 2013 Ford Sync 2, not Android Auto. I bought the car this Spring and my 2008 first gen sync was 10x better. After struggling, I found an update to Sync 2. After the update my Sync works great. Easy to do everything you sa about hands free with my Note 10 +.

My wife has a 2017 with Sync 3. I upgraded her unit and everything seems to work well with her Note 10. Sync 3 is built on a QNX backend OS. Sync 2 was built on a Microsoft platform. Ford had lots of complaints about the complexity of Sync 1 and 2. I had to agree, before the update my phone would disconnect (unpair) randomly. Generally it could take over an hour to reconnect, often having to reset the entire system.

Since the updates both Sync systems are working great. That said I only ever want to hear messages, I have never tried to reply while operating a car.

 

[Richard Durishin]

Apple now does it - but only with their new AirPods which, evidently, have a super-secret high-tech chip that allows for such. Something that could only be designed (meaning: copied) in Cupertino.

 

[SmoovC]

Welcome to Android. After several years using it, I have found no reliable way to replicate Cortana's skills on a Windows Phone with a Bluetooth connection. No app does it - though some clam to - and Android Auto doesn't do it either.

Oh! And people who never used Win Phone simply cannot seem to grasp the concept of pure, 100% hand-free texting. So, while they may tell you to fiddle with settings and try different apps - you will never get better than having to touch your phone or car screen to get a message read. There will be no hands free back-and-forth conversations. Android just isn't that capable.

Respectfully, this is absolutely incorrect. Android Auto is a completely touch-free experience (if desired) using voice commands. You *may* use the vehicle's infotainment touchscreen interface, but my use case scanario is to keep my eyes on the road and interact by voice only.

To hear a message: "Hey Google, read my texts". After it is read you may reply or dismiss; all via voice. To send a message: "Hey Google, text John Smith."

 

[Richard Durishin]

Well, first, you have to ask Goog to read your texts. Then, at least in my 2019 vehicle, you get the last few texts from the person whose message you wanted to hear. Then, you get to respond. It is a pretty far cry from the seamlessness of the way Cortana did it.

Additionally, if it is like the implementation in my car, the head unit always asks for access to messages through the BlueTooth connection - in addition to the connection via Android Auto. So you get double notification. Ugh. It is a disaster...if you have experienced something better.