Premium phone kit option. Anyone gone for it?

[mcmaddy]

No doesn't seem like it. makes ordering it from new look better now but would it be really worth it. with mobile coverage in this country ropey at best in a car you wouldn't be able to use the Google maps for instance.

[Sootchucker]

Suppose it depends who your provider is really. My iPhone is a work phone, so I don't get a choice of providers and its currently Vodafone. Near to work it s fine, however, I do travel all over the country with my job, and have to say Vodafone is patchy at best. Quite offen if I'm in a hotel room without local wifi, my phone can loose all signal quite often.

Conversely, work also provide us with a small Mifi unit from Three, and have to say, this works brilliantly, and only one place in the country so far have I not been above to get a good 3G signal (apart of course from the very northern parts of Scotland), and that's Sevenoaks ?

[Gryzor]

I've "gone for it" only because I have to for the climate screen.  I'm changing my iPhone to something else in October anyway so the fact that rSAP is not supported by iPhone is not really a big deal in the scheme of things.

[Sootchucker]

Been researching the whole rSAP thing in a bid to get my company to get me an rSAP mobile, which would mean I could order the premium car kit and use it. The only other 2 models available to us seem to be the Samsung Galaxy S3 and the Nokia Lumia 920, but our IT tell me neither have rSAP capability (although apparently the S III can be just made to work with a frig, but it's flaky.)

This does beg the question, if Apple's main competitors in the Smartphone arena, have dropped rSAP compatibility from their latest phones (which is very surprising seeing as rSAP is a Nokia invention), then why are car manufacturers still producing car kits for this protocol, when it seems the mobile industry is moving away from it.

My worry would be with this trend, that in one or two years time, with updates to all the major phones, that no one will support rSAP, meaning that a £400 accessory becomes unusable, or you will forced to use an older phone, or a special one for car use only.

Please note, I'm not "into" mobiles so am only reporting what has been told to me or what I have found on the internet.

[Gryzor]

I can't say for sure how he does it (native or via an app), but my mate has an S3 hooked up to his car via rSAP and it just works - not flaky at all.

[mcmaddy]

Samsung galaxy s3 is definitely rsap compatible as is the s2&s4. if you don't get the premium phone kit is the standard Bluetooth that bad? what's the advantages apart from car net.

[Gryzor]

Samsung galaxy s3 is definitely rsap compatible as is the s2&s4. if you don't get the premium phone kit is the standard Bluetooth that bad? what's the advantages apart from car net.

Improved phone reception via car aerial, and ability to have texts read out and sent, plus a few others I'm sure.  This option is certainly one that I wouldn't bother with as a stand-alone option, but if I have it, I'll get a phone that uses it!  Getting bored of the iPhone and Apples closed-architecture anyway.

[mcmaddy]

Old thread i know, im sorry but if you dont spec the premium phone kit will you still be able to get the wlan function working through your phone provider. i know it wont have a great signal but will it work?

[Sootchucker]

Mcmaddy: As far as I know (and stand to be corrected), the WLAN feature you refer to is only available as part of what VW call "Car Net" option and whilst available in Germany, AFAIK, it's not yet available in the UK. I also understand it only works with the Discover Nav Pro.

The "Car Net" is the addition that as well as giving you a WLAN inside the car also provides On-line live Traffic Information, Points of Interest search, Google street view and Google Earth and is a €100 option from Germany (providing you have Nav Pro and Advanced Phone package). It's basically the VW version of Audi's "Connect" system.

[Bill_the_Bear]

Mcmaddy: As far as I know (and stand to be corrected), the WLAN feature you refer to is only available as part of what VW call "Car Net" option and whilst available in Germany, AFAIK, it's not yet available in the UK. I also understand it only works with the Discover Nav Pro.

The "Car Net" is the addition that as well as giving you a WLAN inside the car also provides On-line live Traffic Information, Points of Interest search, Google street view and Google Earth and is a €100 option from Germany (providing you have Nav Pro and Advanced Phone package). It's basically the VW version of Audi's "Connect" system.

I heard the same but I'm not sure about the accuracy of it.  For example, the demo I tried clearly had up-to-date traffic data on its Pro Nav unit.  I'm pretty sure it did not have advanced phone prep.  In fact it would have been built before the MY14 changes that made that option available.