Apple Car Play & Spotify Off-Line

[GTA SOL]

So just trying to get my head around the benefits of having Apple Car Play (APC) retrofitted to my XC60 - it’s not cheap (£350) so want to make sure it’s worth while.

I have Spotify premium but being ‘tight’ I’d rather listen to my playlists ‘off line’ to save data as opposed to using the in-car modem (and data sim) or my phone’s data.

So if I retrofit ACP, including the dedicated APC USB port, will this allow me to use Spotify ‘off line’ through my phone, while keeping my in-car modem live / online for traffic updates etc?

[Director76]

Originally Posted by GTA SOL

So just trying to get my head around the benefits of having Apple Car Play (APC) retrofitted to my XC60 - it’s not cheap (£350) so want to make sure it’s worth while.

I have Spotify premium but being ‘tight’ I’d rather listed to my playlists ‘off line’ to save data as opposed to using the in-car modem (and data sim) or my phone’s data.

So if I retrofit ACP, including the dedicated APC USB port, will this allow me to use Spotify ‘off line’ through my phone, while keeping my in-car modem live / online for traffic updates etc?

OK so I don’t have CarPlay on my xc90, but I gave it a good try on the demo we had a few days. Also we have it on our Tiguan and the the VW implementation is generally considered to be a good one.

If Spotify is what you’re really interested in, I think the Spotify native sensus app is superior in interface and functionality (even the recent update with fewer features, but better performance) compared to the CarPlay one, particularly around search functionality. £350 buys you an awful lot of three network PAYG datasims!!

iOS 12 brings google maps (which I tried today - looks cool with the sat imagery) and I think Waze (not a user) to CarPlay, but aside a few specific apps (which e.g make audiobooks or iplayer radio catch up easier) there’s not really a lot of added functionality that sensus doesn’t have in combination with a BT phone connection and I have not missed it once in the Volvo.

[deanphoto]

Originally Posted by GTA SOL

So if I retrofit ACP, including the dedicated APC USB port, will this allow me to use Spotify ‘off line’ through my phone, while keeping my in-car modem live / online for traffic updates etc?

Yes. Apple CarPlay uses the Spotify music from your phone, whether offline or on. It's why I've not used the Sensus app yet as I tend to spend a lot of time with poor/no internet reception.

[Haldex]

Exactly how I use it. Being an IT guy I am inclined to say that most (if not all..) sensus issues (freezeups, lagginess, reboots etc.) are actually caused by internet-dependent apps in poor 4G conditions.. Btw, my sensus has been trouble-free ever since I owned the car.

[neon]

I have found for excellent music quality best to use Spotify connected directly through Carplay. I have Spotify set to the highest quality music setting and if you pre download over your wifi reduces data usage. Generally sounds excellent on the standard music system.
I was fed up with all the hangups etc with using the Spotify app on Sensus, this was in the first year of me having the car so may have improved of course.

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by GTA SOL

I have Spotify premium but being ‘tight’ I’d rather listen to my playlists ‘off line’ to save data as opposed to using the in-car modem (and data sim) or my phone’s data.

You could simply download the Spotify playlists onto your phone and stream them to the car's audio over Bluetooth. No need to spend any money.

The only downside is that Bluetooth compromises the sound quality somewhat (although most people wouldn't notice).

[familymangreg]

Originally Posted by neon

I have found for excellent music quality best to use Spotify connected directly through Carplay. I have Spotify set to the highest quality music setting and if you pre download over your wifi reduces data usage. Generally sounds excellent on the standard music system.
I was fed up with all the hangups etc with using the Spotify app on Sensus, this was in the first year of me having the car so may have improved of course.

I was definitely in the same boat as you, until maybe a year ago Spotify was just unusable, it rarely played a song without buffering many times, never used it as a result. However, these days we mainly listen to Spotify in the car, it is so much better. The connection is provided over bluetooth from whichever phone is paired. The app is reasonably quick to start up these days and buffers only very occasionally in areas of very poor reception.

:wq

[Haldex]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

You could simply download the Spotify playlists onto your phone and stream them to the car's audio over Bluetooth. No need to spend any money.

The only downside is that Bluetooth compromises the sound quality somewhat (although most people wouldn't notice).

And he'd be using the tel to play/pause/shuffle through songs as oppose to using the sensus screen.. Distracting and imo. a bit 1990s..

[S90]

Originally Posted by Haldex

And he'd be using the tel to play/pause/shuffle through songs as oppose to using the sensus screen.. Distracting and imo. a bit 1990s..

No, the steering wheel controls would be doing it. It makes no difference, you can control Spotify on the phone using the same controls as you would for iTunes.

Also, he won't need ACP if he is downloading Spotify offline, just plug in via USB or BT and use the iPod function.

[Haldex]

When streaming music via bt?.. You sure? I've never tried this.. But you don't see the playlist, do you?..