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Why Android phone shows contact pictures on Sensus and iPhone not ?

5K views 25 replies 13 participants last post by  chmax 
#1 ·
I was quite surprised to see that after connecting old Android Galaxy phone, all contacts are shown with pictures/photos (when looking at them and when receiving a call) but when having iPhone connected, there are no contact pictures shown. I wonder how this is possible when XC90 is quite Apple oriented ... Is it a kind of bug ?
 
#7 ·
You mean, Android: open to attacks and exploits system - Apple: closed from attacks/malware system?

lol, how closed a system can Apple iOS be if there are literally over a million third party apps available for it, including apps from its most hated rivals, like google and microsoft? Plus you don't have to worry about google harvesting/eavesdropping your info for targeted advertisement for you.
 
#3 ·
Such explanation makes little sense. Seems that Sensus software is just not able to catch the pictures from iOS via bluetooth (means it needs some basic improvement)
 
#6 · (Edited)
Perfect? Well, as far as perfect exists in real life, but only if the other party allows full access.
Given the reputation of Apple on the subject of protecting their products, I think it is a sensible
proposition that this could be the reason for a somewhat limited communication, but I don't know
that for a fact, that's why why I ended my forst reponse with a "?"
I assume the opposite, that Sensus would be the culprit isn't known either.
It would help to know what contact details an iphone shows in other cars.
Some info here: http://www.golfmk7.com/forums/showthread.php?t=293
Zahra
 
#8 ·
iOS is a (mostly) closed operating system.
Android, on the other hand, is a (mostly) open-source operating system.
The number of available apps is no measure for the openness, neither is vulnerability,
although a greater vulnerability rather indicates open than closed, which was the point of the argument.
Zahra
 
#9 ·
Anyway, if it shows the name and number in contact list, not showing pictures is just nonsense ... it is the same individual info as number or name.
 
#11 ·
If I had to guess this is an Apple restriction, but I don't know for sure.

I just remember the last time an iphone user tried sending me a file over bluetooth it couldn't be done, apple restricts sending bluetooth files to devices that are not part of their own eco system. That same restriction could be stopping the car from getting the photos from the phone.
 
#13 ·
Just going to point out that iOS released an emergency update recently for not one, not two, but three zero day vulnerabilities. Thing is, regardless of the tech you use, we all live in a glass house and shouldn't be throwing fanboy fodder. Everyone can be hacked. Just because you don't know about it doesn't mean it's not happening.


Here's a list of iOS vulnerabilities to make my point.

https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-49/product_id-15556/Apple-Iphone-Os.html

I use both (iPhone 6s for work and Nexus 5x/OnePlus 3 for when I'm not working).

As to the OP, who can say, apple and Volvo have released many updates since sensus began shipping. Quite possible one of them from either company broke it. Could also be a setting or incompatibility. I've never paired my phone to our xc90 since it's my wife's. I can try it when I get home though. It'll be awhile though as I'm currently in the airport in South Korea waiting for a flight home.
 
#14 ·
This is not the point, all platforms have vulnerabilities, of course they do. The point is that Apple patched their exploit less than two weeks after being discovered for nearly every device out there. Android on the other hand has thousands of versions of their OS fragmented so most devices never receive the latest updates and therefore are inherently less secure. Look to the banks and other F500 companies, they aren't using Android as BB replacement for a reason. 70%+ are iOS, especially for privileged users. Some deployed Android as a cost saving measure but nearly all CSOs have backed them away from that after a few years of learning about Android "security".

I'm not sure why we got on this discussion to begin with however, it has nothing to do with the question asked.

"Open" or "closed" doesn't matter, there are standards that govern systems that interact with each other. In this case, my (educated) guess is that Apple is using an older bluetooth contact sync standard than is the latest available and that it doesn't provide contact photo sync. In some cases bluetooth standard updates are software so it's possible you'll see this at a later time. It is possible Volvo is using their apps or another way of getting the photos but I believe this is the most likely scenario. The same reason why you didn't see bluetooth audio control on iOS for a few years, just the ability to stream and view the title, iOS had an older bluetooth streaming standard.
 
#15 ·
Yea but with iOS you can update the system on any iPhone/iPad, and pretty quickly. Good luck with that on the highly fragmented Android platform, where upgraded software is up to the carriers and manufacturers. Its like if Volvo used a third party for its Sensus software and you'd have to get an update from another company. lol. So easy to accept vertical integration with cars but when it comes to phones, people want a hodge-podge of technology.

BTW, most of those iOS "vulnerabilities" are from jailbroken apps that Apple has no control over.
 
#17 ·
It does appear that Apple is using some very recent bluetooth profiles as it relates to this. It could be related to security as iOS has multiple layers of encryption that encrypt/decrypt upon different events that occur in the OS. This model could be preventing this data from being shared as it's encrypted when trying to be accessed. It does appear that they're aware, so perhaps we'll see a fix. (and yes BMW and Apple have shared a great relationship for a long time so if it's not working on BMW, you wouldn't expect it to work anywhere else)
 
#19 ·
Never fails, the android vs apple vs windows debate.
 
#20 ·
The issue is that so few people actually understand the reality and the talking points but instead just parrot their respective chosen platforms "glories" as if it is some divine truth.

Pretty much the same conversation with different actors as every argumentative post on every social media platform... in the world.
 
#22 ·
I would conjecture that those that are saying that "fanboys" don't know anything and are just parroting what they hear, are all android users trying to pass off their superiority complex because they use android phones. lol. A clever way of calling iPhone users "sheeple" but they themselves are as guilty as those they try to make fun of.

What's having a "closed" system have to do with Sensus compatibility? It should make programing for it even easier as you only program for one system, instead of the dozens of iterations of android?
 
#23 ·
You'd be wrong if you're referring to me.

I use both. Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6S plus are what I use. I also deploy all of my company phones which include 7-8 different android versions, minimum.

What's a closed system mean? It means that if apple does not want you to have access to the images on the contacts, you do not get access to the images on the contacts.

So, yes. In some ways programming for Apple is easier. In others it's very constraining. Because it's a closed system, you are only limited with what Apple gives you to work with. If Apple doesn't give you access to those contacts like android or Windows Mobile does, you just don't get access.

As far as the dozens of iterations of android being a problem programming, it's only an issue on how to display everything since Apple has about 8 different screen sizes (for phones) and android has hundreds. When it comes to contacts and getting that information over Bluetooth, it doesn't matter since you are pulling $contact1.image from an android and $contact1.image from an iPhone. It's essentially the same data. The image sizes may be slightly different but you can deal with that.

In this case, it sounds like Apple isn't giving programmers access to $contact1.image and nothing is there.

My example uses $contact1.image but that is definitely not the item being accessed. I only used this as the example to clarify the issue.
 
#24 ·
I think it is not. I was curious why my iPhone does not show pictures with contacts. I have a new Volvo XC90 R-Design, 2016, D5 with Polestar. I was looking for information and I found a solution.
1. I downloaded Sync.Me and have synchronised my contacts, more here https://sync.me/features/, it is a free application
2. suddenly the pictures showed up on Sensus!

The point is the size of the picture. What works is a size of 96x96 pixels, JPEG and a resolution of 96. I have been using Outlook, thus I have downloaded my pictures (which were not synchronised with Sync.Me) and changed the size and resolution on my Mac in Preview - Tools - Adjust Size ... and uploaded to pictures back to contacts in Outlook. Simple like that. :)

It takes few moments until Sensus recognises the new pictures, but it works.

I hope this helps guys.
 
#25 ·
Prior to iOS 11, contact photo syncing was not possible to my knowledge as Apple simply did not support this feature over Bluetooth. For a while during the early iOS 11 betas, my contact images showed up without me having taken any special action to make it so. Just as they appeared, they disappeared during the later betas. Since then, others such as you have discovered that the images must be of a certain size which the phones running iOS 11 apparently won't supply over Bluetooth unless they are specifically attached to the contact at that size. You'd think that Apple engineers could figure out a way to reliably supply the properly sized photos over Bluetooth without the users having to take action to make it work.
 
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