Current State of AppLink?

[smr2112]

Can somebody give me the 50 cent version of the current state of AppLink specifically

in the 2013 Ford Fusion.

 

Is this currently available, definitely coming soon with an update, not available on this

car now, not available never...? Some cars have, some don't? Very confused...

 

Will an update to MFT/Sync coming in the future get this working for sure?

Unclear if the H/W supports, why is it left out but being heavily promoted?

[neod192]

Fusions with MFT do not support AppLink. Lower end models without MFT have AppLink. Nobody knows for sure (publicly) if MFT will support AppLink or when.

[acdii]

It is supposedly in the works to be added to MFT, and wont require a hardware upgrade. Applink is part of Sync, so cars with Sync without MyFord Touch have it.

[milleron]

I've always thought that computer programmers are likely to be idiot savants -- they can speak fluently in C++, Fortran, dBase, or what have you, but they cannot speak English at more than a rudimentary level as demonstrated by the cryptic unintelligible error messages that pop out of their code onto my computer screen. This failure to give the user base any information on the status of their blunder in disabling AppLink in MFT would seem to be further evidence. Maddening. Tell us something, even if it's in programmer gobbledegook.

Edited April 20, 2013 by milleron

[GrySql]

According to the SYNC Community website moderator Nick - Jan 14, 2013:

(BTW, those of you who want to get this info firsthand can just get an account at the SYNC website.)

--
"Is AppLink available for MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles yet? Not yet. Our priority is on completing the roll-out of AppLink across the basic SYNC (Gen 1) system, including making it available for older model vehicles, and then migrating it to Europe and Asia.
What vehicles now offer AppLink? AppLink is available on most of our products for the 2013 model year on the lower trim levels featuring the SYNC (without MyFord Touch) including: Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Mustang, Shelby GT500, C-MAX Hybrid, Flex, Edge, Explorer, F-150, SVT Raptor, Super Duty, E-Series, Expedition, and Transit Connect.
Is AppLink available on Lincolns? AppLink is available on the Lincoln Navigator (without MyFord Touch)."

----

 

Then of course there is this Ford Ad to further confuse some MFT owners.

The main argument on the Sync Community is the contract Ford has with SiriusXM.

Apparently SiriusXM does not like competition so in order for Ford to offer it in the MFT as a 'Trial' package the AppLink software needed to be disabled so internet App's and things like Pandora were eliminated.

Thus, the vehicles that have lesser systems and not SiriusXM capable has AppLink available, or so it seems - maybe.

-

I did read one interesting post from a member called DR_Pepper:

 

'Problem may be Ford does not have full access to the code or even worse fully understand the code for MFT.

Keep in mind Ford outsourced MFT to the company BSquared. They messed up big time & then Ford ended that relationship.

Since then there has been huge delays on getting MFT up to the same speed as Sync.

IE - The sync my phone app is only Sync not MFT, the backup solution that almost got of ground & then abruptly halted,

the importing of pictures for phone caller id ( Darren Shelcusky-Ford IT) - said was in the works but got stuck at 50%, appliink, or any dramatic change in presentation to the user interface- ie the song & artist, usb counter, mute, etc

Looks like $$$ are in overseas sync & in a built in learning curve to understand MFT.

Seems logical to think a Gen 3 may be in works for future 2014 or 2015 models behind the scenes & the gen 2 owners will only get patches. Just like gen 1 sync gets patches. '

Edited April 13, 2013 by GrySql

[acdii]

You know, that makes perfect sense. I wouldnt put that past them either, but as posted above, mentality of some are far below the average person. So, Pandora cant be controlled via the steering wheel, but it still works through USB and BT streaming.

 

However on the flip side, non MFT with Nav has Sirius, and Pandora, like in the F150 I had. Discovered it a month before I traded in the truck though.

[milleron]

Pandora can be controlled through steering-wheel controls, and works through both USB and BT? What functions can be controlled when playing Pandora from a smartphone through a USB connection?

[corncobs]

I found out just the other day that you can skip to the next title. I didn't try it with BT since the sound is so crappy and I can just plug it in and charge my phone at the same time.

[GregDallas]

Glad this was posted. I've been trying to figure out for a couple of hours why I couldn't get this to work (FFH Titanium with MFT). Unless I'm just blind, everything I found from Ford shows that it is supported on 2013 Fusions and doesn't say anything about "except those with MFT". This is a real bummer :(

[neod192]

Glad this was posted. I've been trying to figure out for a couple of hours why I couldn't get this to work (FFH Titanium with MFT). Unless I'm just blind, everything I found from Ford shows that it is supported on 2013 Fusions and doesn't say anything about "except those with MFT". This is a real bummer :(

There used to be a page that made it clear that MyFord Touch doesn't get AppLink, but now all I can find is this: http://support.ford.com/topics/sync-technology-sync-myford-touch

 

When you select SYNC & SYNC with MyFord or SYNC with Voice-Activated Navigation the 2nd category you see is SYNC AppLink (27), but when you select MyFord Touch that category is gone.

 

PS. I just saw this too: http://boards.synccommunity.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?tsn=1&nav=messages&webtag=fordsyncmb&tid=7186

Ford is pleased to offer ad-free Pandora listening now through the end of 2013. Ford vehicles equipped with SYNC AppLink will get to listen to their personalized music and comedy channels on Pandora completely free of advertising for the rest of 2013.

[milleron]

Glad this was posted. I've been trying to figure out for a couple of hours why I couldn't get this to work (FFH Titanium with MFT). Unless I'm just blind, everything I found from Ford shows that it is supported on 2013 Fusions and doesn't say anything about "except those with MFT". This is a real bummer :(

It's not prominently displayed, but the fact that Sync Applink is not available in cars with MFT is definitely in the owner's manual. Always has been.

That said, it's a pure mystery why it's thus. A lead programmer or a team of programmers should lose their jobs over this matter. It's gross (grotesque?) incompetence. Ford is the the only manufacturer I know of making cars in 2013 that cannot play Pandora WITH controls, at least as an option.

 

There is a fairly elegant solution explained by forum member JSKershaw here. The ProClip is not an inexpensive workaround. Mine set me back $83 (which would have been unnecessary if Ford employed competent computer programmers), but it works very nicely, and it's custom-made for the 2013 Fusion. It allows my Samsung Galaxy to become a "supplementary LCD display," if you will. Pandora shows up on the smartphone almost beside the center-stack LCD, with album art and controls that are essentially as easy to reach as they would be on MFT, were it not dumbed down. It keeps the charging cord almost invisible, and BT audio works perfectly, at least with this phone, from this location.

Edited May 11, 2013 by milleron

[acdii]

Pretty ridiculous that only the low end cars have Applink.