TomTom Carkit with iPhone 3GS & iPhone 4

[FiftyPenceR8]

I was very happy with the app but I thought it might be able to obtain more GPS fixes if I used it with the tomtom car kit which I received today.

iPhone 3GS running iOS4.0.1
App works fine on its own but if I plug the phone into the tomtom carkit the app crashes. I tried closing all apps and restarting the phone and the app still crashes once connected to the carkit. The app also crashes if I connect the phone to the tomtom carkit then open the app.
Current status: maybe I need to update iOS to the latest version or there is a bug in the App which causes it to crash each time the tomtom carkit is used.

iPhone 4 running iOS4.3.2
App works fine on its own but does not work with the tomtom car kit despite use of the iphone 4 adapter for the carkit. TomTom say this is a known issue and that it is a problem with iOS and needs a fix from Apple.
Current status: I am undecided whether to return the carkit for a refund or wait in the hope that Apple release an iOS update which does work with the tomtom carkit.

[Harry]

Hi,

On the first point: Please always update to the last version of iOS available. Most probably LT crashes with 4.01 as it uses any OS feature that has changed since then. It is pretty touch to keep an app stable with all iOSes. Currently, the general route for LT development is that I try to keep support for old iPhones with iOS 3.1.3, and for the latest iOS (4.3.x).

On the second: Not aware of a problem with TomTom and the latest iOS. I had my iPhone4 with iOS4.3.2 (8H7) working with the car kit last weekend. In case you have any written conversation with TomTom, please let me know (probably best as PN).

- Harry

[FiftyPenceR8]

FYI I find that the tomtom carkit tool does not work on the iPhone 4 on iOS4.3.2 so I'm not able to plug the phone into the car kit and open the tomtom car kit tool app to check connection.
The tomtom car kit does not appear in the list of bluetooth devices either.

So it seems in my case the iphone 4 is only recognising the tomtom car kit to charge and not as a GPS device at all. I purchased the tomtom car kit for use with your app so am a little apprehensive at this time to purchase a tomtom app just to see if it works.

Here is the chat history I had with tomtom:

TomTom Support (UK): Hi, my name is Lewis G. (UK). How may I help you?
TomTom Support (UK): Please be aware that most issues can be resolved by Chat in less than 20 minutes, but if this Chat session lasts 40 minutes and you are a UK customer I will arrange for someone to call you within 30 minutes of the Chat session ending to resolve the issue.
FiftyPenceR8: Hi, I received the tomtom car kit today for iPhone 4 running iOS4.3.2 but it does not work at all. What information do you have on this issue? Should I return it for a full refund or do you have a method to make it work?
TomTom Support: There has been an issues with the car Kit and the iPhone 4, however, have you received the adapter for the iPhone 4 with the car kit at all?
FiftyPenceR8: yes that is not the issue
TomTom Support (UK): IS the issue regarding the connection itself, bluetooth wise, from the iPhone to the car kit?
FiftyPenceR8: yes, I have attached the adapter to the car kit, then I plug in the iPhone 4 and it charges but it will not work as intended for GPS purposes.
FiftyPenceR8: bluetooth does not work either, the car kit does not appear in the list of devices
TomTom Support. (UK): There have been issues with this reported lately and I believe that Apple are working on the issue. It seems to be a fault with the application rather than the car kit itself. Apple have released an application update recently so this may well resolve the issue. My apologies that I can offer no further information than that.
TomTom Support (UK): Other than this issue should be resolved soon.
FiftyPenceR8: I have updated to iOS 4.3.2 which is the latest and it has not fixed the issue. Infact on iOS4.3.1 the carkit would appear in the list of bluetooth devices but when entering PIN 5555 it would not connect. I then updated to iOS4.3.2 on the understanding that this would fix the issue and it has not.
TomTom Support (UK): I speak of the TomTom app itself, version 1.7
TomTom Support (UK): Rather than the iPhone firmware itself.
FiftyPenceR8: As I said, with iOS4.3.2 the carkit does not appear at all on the list of bluetooth devices now.
FiftyPenceR8: are you suggesting that bluetooth will continue not to work at this time but the tomtom app v1.7 should work?
TomTom Support (UK): Unfortunately I am uncertain at this moment as we have yet to be updated by Apple regarding this so I would suggest attempting to install the v 1.7 app and letting me know if this is to any avail or not. It may be that this resolves both issues as it could have been an issue with the app itself but, as stated, I haven't the information available to advise definitively what the issue is.
FiftyPenceR8: I am not willing to purchase the tomtom app based on the advice that it 'might work'.
FiftyPenceR8: I just want the tomtom car kit for iphone to work with my iphone 4.
TomTom Support (UK): In that case I would suggest, for the time, sending the car kit back as I am unfortunately unable to give a definite date as to the resolution for this issue. My apologies for the inconvenience.
FiftyPenceR8: That is a shame isn't it. When the seller of a product has to admit it does not work as intended and suggests me as the customer to return it for a refund! Are you able to speak with management to get an answer now about this issue and let me know what management have to say on the matter? Presumably they are aware of the issue and I want to hear from them what they are doing about it please. Perhaps they have not provided you with the latest information in this regard and I would appreciate if you could ask them now what the situation is.
TomTom Support (UK): The reason the information isn't available to us is because it is an issue that Apple's are dealing with die to it being an issue with their system. As Apple are very limited with their information giving we haven't the information there to give. If you contact Apple they may be able to update you further regarding this issue but we haven't the information here. I certainly would like to know as I am very aware how frustrating it is to not have answers for such a questions but I can only apologise for this issue.
FiftyPenceR8: ok I shall contact Apple now, thank you.

[Harry]

Hi,

Please install the 'Car kit tool' from TomTom available in the AppStore for free. You can use this to analyze the basic connection.
Looking into the chat, I doubt they gave all hints one can give on making this work.

- Harry

[FiftyPenceR8]

I have the tomtom car kit tool installed on the iPhone 4 and when I open the tomtom car kit tool app with the phone in the carkit I get 'not docked' and GPS: no fix.
I believe this is standard because the app does not support the latest iOS.

[Harry]

Hi again,

As stated above, TomTom support sent you the wrong direction. The car kit definitively connects to the iPhone4 with iOS4.3.2 installed. I just went out to my car and checked again (no signal because the car stand in a parking lot, but docked):



I'd suggest to check the iPhone4 adapter again. It is well possible that the power supply pins have contact, but others don't. I had similar situations when I'd experimented with a home made adapter. By the way, the BT connection is not used by LapTimer (or the TomTom car kit app), both use the wired connection. BT is used for the audio features only.

- Harry

[FiftyPenceR8]

Thanks Harry, I'll see what I can do.

btw do you still get 'this accessory is not optimised for this iPhone' when putting the phone into the carkit?

[FiftyPenceR8]

Issue 1 with the iPhone 3GS has now been resolved after updating to iOS4.3.2, all works fine. Downside is that handset was donated to my girlfriend so I'll have to beg to borrow it unless I can get my iPhone 4 working with the car kit

I suspect the iPhone 4 issue is the dock connector which was replaced when I had the handset replaced with white covers. I'll refit the original black dock connector and hope that fixes the issue with connecting with the tomtom car kit.

Thanks for your time Harry.