2013 Audio-Bluetooth Update

[laborsmith]

Bluetooth may not be an across the board standard:

Effective 7/30/2012, the following changes will be made to the Vehicle Order Guide:

Sedan Interior section-(UF7) Chevrolet MyLink Touch, changed short description to now read "Chevrolet MyLink radio".
Sedan Interior section-Bluetooth audio streaming, updated footnote 1 to now read "Included and only available with (UF7) Chevrolet MyLink radio."
Sedan Interior section-(U2K) SiriusXM Satellite Radio, updated footnote 1 to now read "Included and only available with (UF7) Chevrolet MyLink radio. If you subscribe after your trial period, subscriptions are continuous until you call SiriusXM to cancel. See SiriusXM Customer Agreement for complete terms at Welcome to the world of satellite radio - SiriusXM Radio. Other fees and taxes will apply. All fees and programming subject to change."
Sedan Interior section-(UQ3) Audio system feature, premium 6-speaker system, updated footnote 1 to now read "Included and only available with (UF7) Chevrolet MyLink radio."
Sedan Interior section-(USR) Audio system feature, USB port, updated footnote 1 to now read "Included and only available with (UF7) Chevrolet MyLink radio."
5-Door Interior section-(UF7) Chevrolet MyLink Touch, changed short description to now read "Chevrolet MyLink radio".
5-Door Interior section-Bluetooth audio streaming, updated footnote 1 to now read "Included and only available with (UF7) Chevrolet MyLink radio."
5-Door Interior section-(U2K) SiriusXM Satellite Radio, updated footnote 1 to now read "Included and only available with (UF7) Chevrolet MyLink radio. If you subscribe after your trial period, subscriptions are continuous until you call SiriusXM to cancel. See SiriusXM Customer Agreement for complete terms at Welcome to the world of satellite radio - SiriusXM Radio. Other fees and taxes will apply. All fees and programming subject to change."
5-Door Interior section-(UQ3) Audio system feature, premium 6-speaker system, updated footnote 1 to now read "Included and only available with (UF7) Chevrolet MyLink radio."
5-Door Interior section-(USR) Audio system feature, USB port, updated footnote 1 to now read "Included and only available with (UF7) Chevrolet MyLink radio."

This is from the 2013 Sonic Online Ordering Guide Distribution Updates.

Laborsmith

 

[Eric Smit]

Sucks.


-Eric Smit

 

[theenico]

My interpretation is that they just got rid of the old "upgraded" stereo with Btooth, USB, etc. and replaced it with MyLink, so that there are still only 2 stereo options.

 

[SonicQueen]

Two kinds of Bluetooth are available on Sonic. Bluetooth for select phones is standard across the board in 13. Bluetooth audio streaming is standard on LT, LTZ & RS and available on LS with MyLink radio.

 

[laborsmith]

I am going to school in this section and in this thread. It looks like there is a difference between Bluetooth and Bluetooth audio streaming. Does that mean simple Bluetooth is somewhat or extensively limited in performance when compared to Bluetooth with audio streaming?

Thanks for the clarification, SonicQueen, because I thought the update meant no Bluetooth for the LS, and releasing the Sonic lacking Bluetooth originally bothered me. Not that I knew what that meant, I only knew Bluetooth is important to many potential consumers, many of whom would only be interested in the LS.

Laborsmith

 

[Eric Smit]

Bluetooth phone calls are a "necessity," so people can talk on the phone hands-free. Bluetooth audio are a "luxury" and you don't need to pull your phone out and to your ear to change the station.


-Eric Smit

 

[CoHPhasor]

I am going to school in this section and in this thread. It looks like there is a difference between Bluetooth and Bluetooth audio streaming. Does that mean simple Bluetooth is somewhat or extensively limited in performance when compared to Bluetooth with audio streaming?

Thanks for the clarification, SonicQueen, because I thought the update meant no Bluetooth for the LS, and releasing the Sonic lacking Bluetooth originally bothered me. Not that I knew what that meant, I only knew Bluetooth is important to many potential consumers, many of whom would only be interested in the LS.

Laborsmith

Allow me.
Bluetooth is a communication protocol, there are many types of communication that can take place through it.

The types of devices you use determine the things you can do with it.
The basic type for radios/phones is telephone communication.
- The phone allows the radio to know when calls are coming in, allows you to make/receive calls .

Bluetooth streaming is an audio technology.
- Your radio can receive normal audio such as Pandora, MP3's etc.

There are several other things you can do with bluetooth, including transfer files!
That's basaically what will happen when MyLink uses GogoLink data.
GogoLink will use the BT connection to access the phone's internet to retreive food, gas locations, etc.


Basically bluetooth is a network between devices, like your home network.
Some devices just have more capability than others.

 

[laborsmith]

So the Sonic will have two different Bluetooth compatible head units, one w/o a 7" screen which can handle phone calls and digital music from satellite via XM and one w/ a 7" screen which allows digital music from satellite in addition to XM using a smartphone. And using GoGoLink allows for navigation w/o needing an extra GPS antenna.

It seems to me that if the less expensive bluetooth compatible head unit can handle phone calls it should also be able to handle satellite sourced digital music; so what am I missing?

Laborsmith

 

[CoHPhasor]

So the Sonic will have two different Bluetooth compatible head units, one w/o a 7" screen which can handle phone calls and digital music from satellite via XM and one w/ a 7" screen which allows digital music from satellite in addition to XM using a smartphone. And using GoGoLink allows for navigation w/o needing an extra GPS antenna.

It seems to me that if the less expensive bluetooth compatible head unit can handle phone calls it should also be able to handle satellite sourced digital music; so what am I missing?

Laborsmith

The XM isn't through the phone.
Think of your iPhone or Android phone.
These devices usually store your music which you carry everywhere.

With MyLink you wont need to use a ghetto headphone jack/aux cable, or even a USB cable to play the music.
MyLink can stream the content directly from your device using BT.

 

[laborsmith]

To clarify: no iPhone or Android phone.

So these phones replace CDs. I get that.

Now the question is Pandora and Stitcher apparently need one of these phones to work is there a consensus which is better and which would be better, XM or one or both of them.

Laborsmith

 

[SonicQueen]

For 13MY bluetooth for phone becomes standard on the LS models.

Bluetooth for phone and bluetooth audio streaming have been standard on LTZ models since launch, optional on LT models thru the Connectivity + Cruise package. As you know in 13MY Connectivity + Cruise package has been made standard on LT's.

IMO, XM sounds better than Pandora streamed off your phone.

 

[CoHPhasor]

To clarify: no iPhone or Android phone.

So these phones replace CDs. I get that.

Now the question is Pandora and Stitcher apparently need one of these phones to work is there a consensus which is better and which would be better, XM or one or both of them.

Laborsmith

Pandora, Stitcher or XM, which is better?
That depends on what you use now or want.
I dont know what Stitcher is.

Pandora is good for serving songs based on a song example.
It feeds you endless music 'like' the example you give.
As songs come through you can skip them and PAndora realizes that's too far out of your taste.
You can have many playlists built from different songs.

If you orefer a more conventional experience XM is right up your alley.


Hopefully we'll see many more apps in the future.
Pandora, Stitcher and GogoLink is hopefully just the beginning.

 

[Deliboy]

To clarify: no iPhone or Android phone.

So these phones replace CDs. I get that.

Now the question is Pandora and Stitcher apparently need one of these phones to work is there a consensus which is better and which would be better, XM or one or both of them.

Laborsmith

Biggest difference is Pandora and possibly Stitcher (never heard of it) are free whereas XM is not (after the free trial of course).