IOS 11 and UCONNECT via USB doesn't work anymore

USB worked up to iOS 10. Ordering a dongle and aux cable. Real convenient.

I am having the exact same issue. Honestly the apple update made the stereo no longer function properly. It’s funny to say contact the car manufacturer when something was changed in how it shows itself as a USB iPod. Very frustrating.

For some reason this feels more like the manufacture of my toaster telling me to contact my bread supplier when my toaster no longer toasts bread...

I have. 2016 Ram 1500 with the latest update available, and an iPhone 7plus 256gb with iOS 11.01

Well a month later and still issues with my setup. For like 1 day it worked but then suddenly went back to not working. Although when it did read it it was ALOT slower to read. It won’t auto play like it used to and when I go through my playlists or songs I can select a song to play. Nothing happens on the radio but the song timer on the phone is running. No sound on the phone or the radio.

Also I see now it just sees the radio as “Dock Connector”. Thought it said uConnect before even on wired connection?

Anyway my 2016 Ram was running unconnect 16.09.09 and tonight I just received an update notice to update to 17.11.07 so tomorrow I will update and check again.

Also looks like iOS 11.1 is out so after I test the uConnect update. I will update the phone and see again.

Let’s hope this works.

Alright. UConnect/truck software update did not fix this issue. Although it did resolve an issue I had connecting to my phone before. On Bluetooth connection and searching artists by the first letter “ABC” it would not load all available selections and only did A-M or something. But I could still search the full artist title or scroll and select anything in the library. This bug has been solved. Note that this issue did not happen when the phone is plugged into the USB port. I assumed it had an issue loading details from my massive music collection on the phone.

Now seeing as the uConnect update did nothing I also removed my phone from the paired devices and re added it to see if that would help. No luck there. So I updated the phone to iOS 11.1 and it made zero changes to this issue.

Honestly it’s weird that whatever they changed in the file system unmentioned in iOS 11 wasn’t done in 10.3 when they changed the entire file system.

My radio changes from USB to iPod like it always did but cannot detect the music files. Even i select on the phone it remains silent on the radio.

My 2012 Jeep Wrangler plays correctly via Bluetooth but cycles between "Reading Device" and "Error" constantly while connected to USB. I agree with the toast analogy to a point. But if you change the ingredients in your bread in a way that causes your standard toaster to explode, you can't exactly blame the toaster. I don't understand why there would be any change to USB synching with UConnect versus Bluetooth. If one works, the other should too.

I drive a 2015 Chrysler 200 Limited. My connection (via USB) worked just fine on Friday on a four-hour road trip. I’ve had an issue for quite a while with the album artwork associated with a song being incorrect. It usually keeps the artwork from the song before it, which is annoying but certainly no big deal.

Today (Sunday) I went to take another trip. Hooked up to my USB as usual, and a song started playing through the speakers but there was nothing on the display. It wasn’t blank. So I unhooked my USB, and that’s a hen th the disaster manifested. Now my car won’t play music through Bluetooth or USB. My Spotify shows that I’m connected to Uconnect, and that’s song song are playing, but every time I try to switch to “media” on my radio, it won’t recognize my device. Even weirder: up to today, my phone itself wouldn’t pay pair Bluetooth so I can use my hands free. Now my phone works through my car, but not my music!

I tried everything listed in all of these comments. Removed my device from the Bluetooth list and reconnected, did a hard reboot on my phone, made sure I had the most updated software on both my phone and Uconnect, made sure I had at least one song downloaded to my Music app (which I knew I didn’t because usually when I hook up my USB, the first song on my phone autoplays), and I even pulled over at a gas station to restart my system in my car. Nothing worked. I spent four hours scanning FM radio stations as I crossed different areas to keep music playing for my kids.

I’m due for a new phone, and I’m an Apple girl. I can’t foresee myself switching to an Android. But this is BEYOND frustrating. It’s cheaper to go android vs. buying a new 2018 model vehicle to have the Apple capabilities. Does anyone have any other ideas?

It would be literally impossible for Apple to test with every car manufacturer along with every head unit from every year with every software version. Then as long as they’re testing cars they better check every Bluetooth speaker and headphones out there. Now that they have wireless charging they better test every one of those before releasing iOS 12. As you can see that would be an impossible task. That is why they release beta versions so the manufacturers of these products can test it and update as needed.

It's not impossible to form a relationship with vendors to ensure that your product functions correctly prior to release. It's called shift-left testing. It's a pretty simple concept really. I'm not even talking about Bluetooth speakers or headphones which are really simplistic devices compared to a vehicle audio system which handles calls and apps and other functionality that pertains to driver safety, such as disabling texting while driving. Speakers just play a streamed audio source for the most part. The other alternative is to allow an end user to revert to a prior IOS version that worked and do not continually spam the user to upgrade. Apple is not showing much concern that they are causing previously working functionality to fail. This is highly disruptive to a users daily routine.

Apple has already told manufacturers that they will work with them to get their equipment ready for new iOS versions. So it’s not exactly shift-left testing but they will work with the manufacturers. However, the manufacturers don’t care, don’t contact Apple, and then put all the blame on Apple that they broke what previously worked. Apple isn’t going to arbitrarily go out and test the thousands upon thousands of head units out there to make sure the new iOS functions properly. Shift-left testing requires a relationship formed between the vendor and the manufacturers. It’s been clear for many years that the vehicle manufacturers really don’t care and wouldn’t form the relationship anyway.

You can send feedback here - Product Feedback - Apple

However, this has been a discussion for years. I even found a blog post about people requesting this and wanting to downgrade from iOS 5 to iOS 4 (I believe at the time it was called iPhone OS). I haven't found any official statement from Apple but a lot of posts point to security issues being fixed in newer iOS versions and allowing people to continue using older ones will leave them vulnerable. Whether or not you agree that Apple should put your security a higher priority than your experience isn't something to debate. The only thing you can really do is submit feedback.

I think uConnect needs to take its share of responsibility here. I have a 2013 Wrangler, and got my first uConnect update released at the beginning of 2017 to enable Siri and a few other features. uConnect needs to get on the ball with its own updates. 4 Years to get Siri working on a new car with a feature that has been out for years? I put the blame on uConnect, not Apple. Apple will release security fixes and updates, it is up to uConnect to get its act together and release patches/updates.

This is a great conversation with truths in testing new operating systems, compatibility with software, and obsolescence.

Commercially speaking, I upgraded my phone, and now I guess I need a new Jeep?

Backwards compatibility is always an issue. This is like upgrading Windows and suddenly your favorite game doesn't work. I doubt Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is going to invest in upgrading the uConnect software for my 2012 Jeep.

So in my personal case, it would be great if Apple could retain backwards compatibility. That puts interop testing in their court.

One way of looking at that. But I guess I was referring to my iPhone/iPod no longer functioning as an iPod... or a toaster that no longer toasts bread because the bread is out of date.

Either way. One or both need to update their software now.

if I could bump this comment. I'm having the same issues as well.
Updated uconnect and iphone software...still it senses that my iphone is an output, and not input...
Bluetooth seems to work fine-ISH

I'm thinking it might be the apple compatibility as this wasn't an issue before.