Experience on bluetooth functionality with PCM3 for various phones, Sony, iPhone 5.

I have a 987.2 Cayman , with the PCM 3.0, the Universal Audio Interface, and the Bluetooth prep for mobile phones. It's time to retire the iPhone 4S, but I don't want to lose Bluetooth functionality of the features I have set up. Basically, it works perfectly. I am curious, what functionality works with what phones, and what OS (iOS versus Android) based on user experience. I do NOT want to use the audio interface plug - I want to use Bluetooth, and I would like the following to work: The phone connects automatically, and I can make/hang up on calls The google maps app on my iPhone will interrupt my music for voice prompts, then music keeps playing The Waze app wil interrupt my music with voice prompts and alerts, then keep playing the music AS of now, I can not play Pandora or Spotify, except through the plug. But BT would be nice. My short list is the iPhone 5s and Xperia Z3 compact, so very curious about experiences with either of these phones and operating systems. Thanks - I wish this information was more available, as I'm sure it would help many forum users.

Experience on bluetooth functionality with PCM3 for various phones, Sony, iPh... Your options are limited by the PCM, not the phone. The Bluetooth Interface for Mobile Phone (Option code 619) only provides phone operation - in Bluetooth terms, it offers only the Handsfree profile (HFP). Now some apps - notably Waze - can output their audio via that interface, as if the audio was actually from the phone, and the PCM will dutifully override any other audio source to play those messages. I don't believe that Google's Map app includes such an option. Playing music, on the other hand, requires the Bluetooth Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), which is not supported by PCM 3.0 (at least as far as 2011; IDK if it was available as an option for 2012). In order to play music through the PCM via Bluetooth, you will need to purchase a BT adapter which receives the BT audio stream and converts it to a line-level signal, which you then feed into the AUX input. TOCCs offers one such device which plugs in to the USB port of the Universal Audio Interface, but only to draw power from it - the PCM does not see it as a USB audio device. Instead, it includes a short cable with a 3.5mm stereo plug on both ends, which you use to connect the device to the AUX input that is right beside the USB port in the armrest, and you then select AUX on the PCM. That device was recently available cheaply through a LivingSocial deal, and I bought one for our 2011 CS. It works perfectly with both my iPhone 5S and my wife's Galaxy S4.

Thanks for the info. In my car, Google voice-over directions for the maps app WILL play through the speakers, using Bluetooth... for whatever reason. The apple maps app will not. Also, in another thread... an android user said that they could not play their Waze voice-overs through bluetooth... although it works great on my iOS version of Waze. But as far as music is concerned, I do think an external BT receiver like the one you mentioned is the best option. I just like everything integrated, because I am on the phone often and use the speakerphone, especially with a manual transmission. Thanks for contributing.