[dZired]

Ford has added five new apps to its SYNC infotainment systems in India. While four of these are new additions, the fifth one is an updated version of an existing app on the Ford SYNC AppLink platform.

The new additions include music streaming service provider Hungama, news aggregator InShorts, weather forecast app AccuWeather and Iot-based parking location app Pparke. Meanwhile, the MapMyIndia app has been updated to include new voice and textual directions to your destination.

Ford SYNC is an in-car connectivity platform which allows users to connect their smartphones to the infotainment system in their Ford car. Once connected, users can access various features of their phone through the display screen of the infotainment system.

Additionally, the SYNC AppLink platform allows smartphone app developers to integrate their apps onto the SYNC infotainment system which can then be controlled through the steering wheel controls and voice commands. SYNC AppLink is available throughout Ford India's vehicle portfolio - Figo, Aspire, EcoSport, Endeavour and Mustang.

Link to Team-BHP News

[bhuvan_prasad]

Figo Titanium+ owner here. When I login into the Ford India page, and click on Sync update, and generate the update link, the below error keeps coming.

Would request other Ford owners to try it out and post here on the scenario they are facing.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by bhuvan_prasad

Figo Titanium+ owner here. When I login into the Ford India page, and click on Sync update, and generate the update link, the below error keeps coming.

Would request other Ford owners to try it out and post here on the scenario they are facing.

v5.9 is the latest Sync version for the Figo Titanium+ and if your car came with v5.9, it won't let you download any update. Which version is yours? Also, keep in mind that there's an advanced version of Sync on the Endeavour.(Sync 1 on the Figo/Aspire/Ecosport and Sync 2 or 3 on the Endeavour)

This is what Ford India Owners page displays when I log in.



My car (2016 Figo 1.2 Titanium+) came with v5.8 and I had updated the Sync s/w to v5.9, downloading the update from Ford India Owners Page.Link:. Since then, the Ford India Owners page underwent an upgrade and the interface changed a bit.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by bhuvan_prasad

Figo Titanium+ owner here. When I login into the Ford India page, and click on Sync update, and generate the update link, the below error keeps coming.

I had this problem when there was a minor Sync update a few months back.

But my car recently went for the second free service and now the Sync profile says my car is updated with the latest version. Perhaps, the A.S.S. did it.

Originally Posted by skanchan95

v5.9 is the latest Sync version for the Figo Titanium+ and if your car came with v5.9, it won't let you download any update. Which version is yours?

Same, 5.9 is what it says is the latest.

Funnily, the news says EcoSport is part of the update.

However, Ford's website isn't updated yet.

https://www.india.ford.com/owner/syn...-apps-applink/

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I had this problem when there was a minor Sync update a few months back.

But my car recently went for the second free service and now the Sync profile says my car is updated with the latest version. Perhaps, the A.S.S. did it.

I remember having trouble downloading the v5.9 update package with Google Chrome. When I tried downloading with MS Edge, it downloaded the update.Could have been a browser issue with their website.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Same, 5.9 is what it says is the latest.

Funnily, the news says EcoSport is part of the update.

However, Ford's website isn't updated yet.

https://www.india.ford.com/owner/syn...-apps-applink/

I think the apps were updated to make them compatible with Sync and the app developers may have collaborated with Ford in this regard. There was no update for Sync recently(atleast for Sync 1 on the Figo Titanium+). The last update I downloaded (v5.9) was in mid-2016. The updates therefore would have been to the apps to make them compatible with Sync, than an update to Sync system itself.

Until recently, the MapmyIndia app when accessed through Sync, would say "Location not found" with a "Reset Sync" message and then it would crash (even after switching on GPS, mobile data on my phone and re-pairing my android phone with Sync).

I updated the MMI app yesterday and also downloaded Accuweather, Hungama, InShorts and Pparke apps. Out of these four apps, only Accuweather showed up as additional app, inspite of asking Sync to search for new apps multiple number of times (ESPNCricinfo, Glympse, MapmyIndia were already working with Sync). Those apps which did not show up on the list may work only with advanced version of Sync available on the Endeavor and Mustang and probably require a touchscreen interface).


Accuweather (shows weather predictions for your city based on your GPS location - Mangalore in my case):


The MapmyIndia app now has an option to guide you (through voice) to your destination (POI based - Hotels, Religious places etc) but no moving map display on the Sync screen (understandably so).
I am not sure if the voice(Samantha, as Ford likes to call it) will give you directions (turns, head straight etc) in real time based on reading the GPS location from the phone. I need to explore this and will post about it later.


Current Location:


Searching for a nearby POIs (3-star hotels in this case)


Nearby 3-star hotels


Directions to the hotel from the current location[audio + text(turn left, turn right etc)]

[agambhandari]

Does anybody have an Idea whether the Ecosport that came at Launch without the Applink can be updated to get applink? I have a September 2013 model with SYNC

[ToyotaFan]

Originally Posted by agambhandari

Does anybody have an Idea whether the Ecosport that came at Launch without the Applink can be updated to get applink? I have a September 2013 model with SYNC

As far as I remember the first Ford in India to get app link support was the Ford Fiesta 2014 when ford said that the then available ecosport system will not support applink. So I don't think the 2013 models will b compatible with it. Tough luck

[skanchan95]

Unfortunately for the MMI Navigation app on SYNC 1, the directions for Navigation through voice are not in real time. Unlike navigation on Google maps or MMI Navigator, Sync does not tell you about the turn points/directions in real time based on your current location i.e it does not track your current location to tell you about the directions to your chosen destination.

It just shows you the directions via text on the Sync screen & voice and on the map in the MMI mobile phone app. You have to say "Next" or "Previous" to know about the previous or next directions to your destination. I really wish they do something to make the direction instructions to spell out in real time based on the GPS location.

The Sync screen showing directions (to Panambur Beach,Mangalore based on my current location):


MMI screen on the Mobile phone app when used trough Sync (for a different destination though)



A good effort nonetheless considering Sync 1's limitations and I am happy that Ford is not forgetting its old Sync 1 customers (after the introduction of advanced Sync versions in the Endeavor & Mustang).

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

A good effort nonetheless considering Sync 1's limitations and I am happy that Ford is not forgetting its old Sync 1 customers (after the introduction of advanced Sync versions in the Endeavor & Mustang).

I assume you have an Android?

Sync Applink works differently for iOS and Android.

There are no updates on my car;



Pressing any of these buttons does nothing



Neither of these buttons does anything

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I assume you have an Android?

Sync Applink works differently for iOS and Android.

There are no updates on my car;

Yes, I have an Android phone.

The iOS apps which were compatible prior to this announcement (cricinfo, glympse) , do they work? Or was app link never compatible with iOS?

Even with android, Hungama and Inshorts app do not seem to work with SYNC 1.

[angryangel]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

I assume you have an Android?

Sync Applink works differently for iOS and Android.

Do you connect your iPhone via Bluetooth or USB? Applink only works on the iPhone while connected through USB.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by angryangel

Do you connect your iPhone via Bluetooth or USB? Applink only works on the iPhone while connected through USB.

Yep, tried that as well after skanchan95 suggested so.

Doesn't look much of a value add anyway so not too bothered.