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What is the most reliable android phone with Tesla Model 3?
- Thread starter garth_angst
- Start date
StealthP3D
Well-Known Member
Samsung S8+ and S9 have been totally reliable with both of our cars for almost 1 1/2 years. The Bluetooth seems extra strong but I don't know of any Bluetooth signal that will go through your body (since it's mostly water which attenuates BT frequencies).
Pixel "1" and 1 "XL" haven't hit the end yet. From Learn when you'll get Android updates on Pixel phones & Nexus devices - Pixel Phone Help, no guaranteed security updates after for that phone is Oct 2019.
I have an old Nexus 9 tablet that I rarely use but it hit that end date in Oct 2017. Sure, various Google bits still receive updates, but I'm not under any illusion that all vulnerabilities in the Android version it's stuck to are being patched. Bulletins come out each month: Android Security Bulletins | Android Open Source Project.
Pixel 3 xl here. 100% reliability with phone as key. But, over half the time, Bluetooth audio/phone connection doesn't connect for a minute or two. If I'm in the middle of something when I'm getting into the car, I often have to bring up the Bluetooth settings in the car and manually tell it to connect to the remembered phone.
Love the phone otherwise. I was hoping that v10 would improve the issue but I got it yesterday and the problem is still there. I might try a factory reset on the phone at some point but it doesn't annoy me enough yet to go through that. I suspect the phone more than the car but I'm not sure.
Anyone else with a Pixel 3xl (or Pixel 3) have this issue?
Love the phone otherwise. I was hoping that v10 would improve the issue but I got it yesterday and the problem is still there. I might try a factory reset on the phone at some point but it doesn't annoy me enough yet to go through that. I suspect the phone more than the car but I'm not sure.
Anyone else with a Pixel 3xl (or Pixel 3) have this issue?
DopeGhoti
Active Member
Oh, assuredly. I have to say, I'm not very much a fan of planned obsolescence. I guess I'd best start putting some money in a sock for the Pixel 5 XL in 2021.
DopeGhoti
Active Member
I've had that happen exactly one time, and that was just after my car got the V10 update. My phone is running Android 10, also. The car lost its Bluetooth connection to my phone, the LTE connection was dropping out, and the TeslaCam was showing only intermittent recording. I did a soft-reboot, and everything went back to normal. Granted, V10 is only a couple of days old, but other than that once instance, there's been no problems so far with the 3XL for me, at least.
One note here. My brother has a very similar build date on his car, and has the same model iPhone. He had issues several times, whereas I never once had an issue. I don’t know why, but presumably the phone itself is only part of the story.
fajitamondays
Member
I have a relatively old Nexus 6P. No issues unless I have it in my back pocket as I approach the car, where I may have to aim my butt towards the car for it to pick up.
Sometimes it's the case/clothing, my wife has a coat that does block the signal unless she leaning in and practically touching the car
No case on both, and I’ve seen him take the phone out of his pocket and wave it around by the door without success. Mines always been rock solid though. The only times the doors didn’t open was when I didn’t have my phone on me.
XLR82XS
D M C
srs5694
Active Member
FWIW, I have a OnePlus 5t running LineageOS 16 (Android 9/Pie), with mixed results. The phone-as-key function usually works, although I sometimes have to try the door handle two or three times. On rare occasion (maybe one in ten or fifteen tries), I need to turn on the phone -- or maybe it's just extra slow and the time it takes to do this is enough for the car to finally recognize the phone. Note that OnePlus has moved on to its 7 series, so you'll only find a 5t in a closeout bin or used. Also, OnePlus's official firmware includes some spyware. It can be disabled, but this is one reason I run LineageOS on mine.
I had poorer results with the same phone running LineageOS 15.1 (Android 8.1/Oreo). I've seen other reports that Android 8.x and earlier don't work as well for phone-as-key functionality as Android 9, across a wide variety of phones. I'm not very familiar with your Moto G5+, but a quick Google suggests it tops out at Android 8.1, at least when using the manufacturer's Android. If you're into such things, you could look into installing an open source Android 9, like LineageOS; but I don't see an official build for your phone, so you'd need to go for an unofficial build, which can be dodgy. (There might be an official build of something else, though.) I suggest you try this only if you're very computer-savvy. It's a good way to brick your phone if you don't know what you're doing. Even if you are willing to risk it, be sure to back up everything from the phone before you try, just in case you do brick it.
I had poorer results with the same phone running LineageOS 15.1 (Android 8.1/Oreo). I've seen other reports that Android 8.x and earlier don't work as well for phone-as-key functionality as Android 9, across a wide variety of phones. I'm not very familiar with your Moto G5+, but a quick Google suggests it tops out at Android 8.1, at least when using the manufacturer's Android. If you're into such things, you could look into installing an open source Android 9, like LineageOS; but I don't see an official build for your phone, so you'd need to go for an unofficial build, which can be dodgy. (There might be an official build of something else, though.) I suggest you try this only if you're very computer-savvy. It's a good way to brick your phone if you don't know what you're doing. Even if you are willing to risk it, be sure to back up everything from the phone before you try, just in case you do brick it.
RobDickinson
Active Member
I have a galaxy S7 edge, tesla app wouldnt even run on android 6 but update to 8.0.0 and its been flawless.
davedavedave
Member
InfinitiGuy
Member
I know I'm late to the conversation, but fwiw, I got the Pixel 4 on Thursday and it's been 100% reliable as a phone key so far. It's a much better experience than my Pixel 2 XL was--that got better as software was updated (both Android and Tesla), but I regularly had a 1-2 second delay from when I'd try to open my car door to when the phone key authenticated and doors unlocked. It's nice upgrading my phone improves the experience I have with my car!
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