Android and Google Play Music

[ffrank]

Hey all, just planning music for my GTD and I'm wondering if anyone has used Google Play Music in their MK7?

I have a fair amount of mp3/digital music I will likely put on an SD card, but I use Play Music these days for all my music - it has the ability to stream any music (signal permitting) or I can select to keep albums on the phone.

I presume I can use the USB cable (or Bluetooth, but not so keen on that), to play the music - but I'm wondering what level of integration it will offer in terms of the display and steering wheel buttons.

I have an android Nexus4 and a (work) iPhone 5s - I'm expecting to leave the iPhone connected on bluetooth for phone calls, and use the android for music, although I do have Play Music on the iPhone aswell.

I'm not sure which cable the dealer will provide/offer, but figured I should know which I want before hand

[p9ul]

Pretty sure all new golfs now come with Apples lightning adapter for iPhone 5/5s.

my bro in law got the older 30pin iPhone connector with his GTI before Christmas and the newer cable was £70 from VW.

Not sure about android unfortunately, get in touch with your dealer now and they should be able to confirm or order in what you need before picking your car up

[pjr]

Mine came with 2 Apple cables - a 30 pin one which works with my old iPod or my iPhone 4S, and also a lightning cable which would work with a newer Apple device.

I only ever use the 30 pin cable to charge my iPhone, as all my music is on a 64GB SD card in the glovebox.

Your other option would be to stream the music via Bluetooth, perhaps?

[Jimmy Filth]

I use Bluetooth to stream music and play it from spotify.  Don't get album work and can't scroll through the music on the screen, but can pause, play, and skip tracks.

Problem is in my car if I then plug it in it ceases to recognise the Bluetooth media.

[marting]

Mine didnt come with any cables.  It has a USB port and an AUX jack socket, so you can plug in pretty much wahtever you want.

[Valenni]

I use my HTC M8 using Google play and Amazon MP3 via Bluetooth. (Which is actually great tbh)

I found Google play to be better as it displays track information. But both work with steering wheel controls.

As for the USB option, I would try linking the phone in via a USB adopter and see if the car reads the phone as a storage device. Might work?

[ffrank]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. That's cool bluetooth is working well for you Jimmy and Valenni, and that it does indeed work with Google Play.

I wanted to avoid Bluetooth as I wonder if the sound quality takes a hit, but it's probably pretty good these days? Anyone compared a track to the quality on a SD card for example?

[pjr]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. That's cool bluetooth is working well for you Jimmy and Valenni, and that it does indeed work with Google Play.

I wanted to avoid Bluetooth as I wonder if the sound quality takes a hit, but it's probably pretty good these days? Anyone compared a track to the quality on a SD card for example?

I've only tried Bluetooth briefly, and somewhat by accident when I'd removed the SD card from the slot in the glovebox.

I couldn't tell much of a difference in quality but I haven't tried listening to the same track from SD vs Bluetooth to better quantify any difference.

[Valenni]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. That's cool bluetooth is working well for you Jimmy and Valenni, and that it does indeed work with Google Play.

I wanted to avoid Bluetooth as I wonder if the sound quality takes a hit, but it's probably pretty good these days? Anyone compared a track to the quality on a SD card for example?

No difference in quality IMO. (Technical readouts might say different, but my ear at high volume + Dynaudio says not! (And I use both SD and BT)

[ffrank]

Thanks both, that's good to hear - and nice to have the dynaudio test too Valenni

Now I just need the car to arrive...