Some pretty big news posted on the Defender Facebook group by a JLR team member:

New OS rolling out imminently, and Wireless CP/AA!

************************************************** **************************************************

Hi everyone. Great news. Over the coming days we will start the roll out of OS3.0!

This is the first of a number of major updates coming over the coming months. As always please note we use a staggered roll out so not all vehicles will receive the update at the same time. Please note: Depending on your vehicle you’ll need to be running 2.1.6 or 2.1.7 before 3.0 can be installed. Search for another post I wrote a while ago on over the air updates and tips for ensuring they download and install as soon as possible.

The official release notes are listed at the end, but I wanted to use this post to share some additional info /tips related to the most important addition as part of this update – Wireless Apple CarPlay & Wireless Android Auto.

As the words suggests, this update enables the ability to use your compatible Apple iPhone or Android smartphone without the need for a USB cable.

We’re also with this release introducing some enhancements to how Apple CarPlay & Android Auto are integrated into the Pivi/Pivi Pro experience, specifically Pivi/Pivi Pro’s homescreen to provide a more seamless experience than the typical Apple CarPlay & Android Auto experience.

First things first, getting set-up to use your smartphone wirelessly...

In most cases you’re going to need to delete your phone from Pivi/Pivi Pro AND within your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings, so let’s go ahead and do that first.

From virtually any Pivi screen click on the settings cog in the bottom corner of the touchscreen. Click ALL > connectivity > Bluetooth > <name of the phone you wish to delete and set-up for wireless CarPlay / Android Auto > scroll to the bottom and click on ‘Forget Device’.

Now go to your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings and find your vehicle in the list of paired devices. Delete/forget it.

Now, go back to Pivi’s Bluetooth settings and click on ‘Pair New Device’. Follow Pivi’s onscreen instructions but also look out for pop-up messages on your smartphone as you’ll need to accept some of these to ensure it connects.

Once the phone is paired Pivi will ask if you wish to use your phone with Apple CarPlay / Android Auto. Agree to this. Again, check your phone for similar requests.

In most cases you should now be done, but in case here’s a few things to check and a few tips.

First a few of Pivi’s settings:

1. Connectivity > Apple CarPlay / Android Auto (depending on your phone of course), check the switch is set to automatically launch Apple CarPlay/Android Auto when your phone connects to the vehicle – by default this should be set to on. If you prefer you can manually start/stop Apple CarPlay/Android Auto from the button above this control.

2. Connectivity > Wireless. This setting MUST be set to On. By default, it should be.

3. Your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings. There is often a setting for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in Bluetooth or wireless settings. Ensure this is enabled. Whilst you’re there if you wish to use messaging with Pivi Pro given Pivi Pro also supports message dictation in this release ensure show notifications is enabled on iPhone. Some Android phones have similar permission settings. This enables Pivi to display incoming text messages and then allow you to reply or send further messages. Remember Pivi also supports wake words. Go to settings > All > General > Voice Settings > Wake Word > Enable ‘Wake Word’. By default, this is Hey Land Rover. Alternatively, if you enable ‘My Wake Word’ you can record your own wake word. Mine is ‘Hey Pivi’, but you can use pretty much whatever you like as long as it has sufficient syllables for recognition.

With this set-up you can say ‘Hey Pivi send a message to <name of contact>’ on mobile.’ Pivi will then display a dictation screen for you to start dictating a message. You can also use message templates. My favourite is the one which sends your ETA as a text along with your destination and then automatically follows this up with updates if you’re running late.

With your Apple iPhone / Android smartphone connected over Apple CarPlay / Android Auto respectively you can also interact with Siri / Google Assistant through a long press of the speech recognition button on the steering wheel button.

Ok so that’s the set-up out of the way.

As part of this release, we’ve also enhanced the integration of Apple CarPlay / Android Auto. There’s a couple of important points to note here:

First let’s talk about what’s new. Now the phone, media and navigation tiles and their respective shortcuts in the sidebar will link directly to Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. This allows direct calling to favourite contacts (if the phone supports this) or recents directly from Pivi’s homescreen. If using Apple Carplay and Apple Maps or Android Auto and Google Maps the nav tile will now display information from those apps in Pivi’s navigation tile. The media tile also supports control and information depending on the connected device and media app in use. If using phone, media or navigation from a connected smartphone (connected via Apple CarPlay/Android Auto) the side bar icons will now also link to those apps.

IMPORTANT: This now means when you click on the navigation shortcut in the side bar (assuming there is a connected phone) this will launch the last used navigation app whether it be on your phone or Pivi Pro’s built-in navigation system. If you only use Pivi Pro’s navigation OR say Apple Maps via Apple CarPlay this will make life easier for you as this shortcut will launch the app you use regardless of where it is hosted. We expect most people will use one or the other. If, however, you like to use both, to launch Pivi Pro’s navigation app having previously used a navigation app on a connected smartphone, relaunch Pivi Pro’s navigation from the app launcher. Once you’ve done so and set a destination, the home tile and side bar shortcut will revert to link to Pivi Pro’s navigation system.

**OS3.0 Release Notes:**

Introduction of wireless Apple CarPlay™ & Android Auto®*

Apple CarPlay™ & Android Auto®* is now integrated into Pivi's home screen.

Connected Speech can be used to control TuneIn and Deezer

Message Dictation is now supported

Clearer icons for phone and vehicle signal strength

You can now also confirm a destination to start guidance directly from the search results list in the keyboard, removing one or two steps as we continue to refine the Pivi experience and aim to reduce steps wherever possible.

*Please check market applicability

 

Wow! If true, I'm super motivated to try it out. Perhaps I better wait for a couple or three minor/fixes ...

 

Is there a link or proper name for the Facebook Group this guy posts in? A search for "Defender Group" on facebook groups leads to a ton of weird options.. and would like to see his hints on getting OTA's quicker.

 

The group this was posted in is the "All New Defender Owners Group", it's a private group so you just need to apply to join.

 

Hoping the whole navigation thing going to last used app works for us that use Google Maps in Apple devices. I hate Apple maps!!

 

I used to think that way - but in the past few months I am preferring Apple Maps to google. One big reason is that if you have an Apple Watch you get a haptic buzz to tell you when to turn which is good when in busy traffic or confusing cities.

Just saying - it may be time to take another look at Apple Maps

 

I wonder if the hud can now display info from your maps app now.

 

So glad I held off on ordering the wireless adapter lol

 

@AvoTow - I don't know (yet), but if it takes over the PiviPro Nav, it should sync with the HUD. "Should" is the operative term. I'm optimistic, but I bought a Defender so that's likely redundant!

 

Agree with you. Was not a fan of Apple Maps from way back, used Google Maps almost exclusively, but sampling Apple Maps recently was very pleased and surprised to see a much improved, and easier on the eyes version they’ve rolled out. And as an Apple Watch user, it definitely meshes well with the haptic responses when in confusing traffic situations.