Mobile app update is coming but I am not impressed with the rumored features

[xsi123]

Tesla is about to release its biggest app update yet: Touch ID login, widget integration, and more - Electrek https://apple.news/AbHUVq3rjS8Go-Hh8KpYHvQ

What do you guys think? I, personally, am not impressed with that list.

TouchId is nice but how often do you have to login on the phone? Credentials are saved.

Widgets are also nice but not necessarily very useful.

I am not sure exactly what I expected. It is just a mobile app. But for some reason I expected more.

Thoughts?

 

[NJS1207]

The article is not very specific about the expected features. I am still holding out hope for being able to turn on defrosters/defoggers remotely!

 

[Dborn]

I am hoping for ability to start software updates remotely.

 

[TexasEV]

Not impressed with the rumors? Maybe you would like a better rumor?
Actually my login gets unsaved frequently. Touch ID login would be a nice touch.

 

[S4WRXTTCS]

It would be pretty depressing if the two above requested features aren't in there.

Depressing considering that they're pretty obvious omissions.

 

[Patrick W]

Would be nice to have the app communicate with the car via bluetooth in addition to wifi. Would help in cases where one is trying to access the car where there is no wifi and the fob has been misplaced like this: Tesla Model S owner gets stranded in the desert for the craziest of reasons

 

[SG57]

As an independent developer of the 3rd party Tesla app, Dashboard for Tesla , I'm equally not impressed with the features listed in that article.

Mainly because I was hoping for new APIs to be introduced that exposed more functionality, such as setting charging amperage, controlling rear/front defrosters, steering wheel heater, seat heaters, trunk/frunk control, media control, etc. I'm willing to give them some slack here, I know they have investors and other litigation that slows everything down but it's been years now - plural.

Love Tesla, love my Model S, love the concept, just not their execution on the mobile front. Sooo much potential.

 

[Andyw2100]

It sounds like they may not have added the ability to preheat the battery without having to also heat the cabin.

 

[azred]

As an independent developer of the 3rd party Tesla app, Dashboard for Tesla , I'm equally not impressed with the features listed in that article.

Mainly because I was hoping for new APIs to be introduced that exposed more functionality, such as setting charging amperage, controlling rear/front defrosters, steering wheel heater, seat heaters, trunk/frunk control, media control, etc.

And secondly, not tooting my horn here, but I've already completed those listed in that article and then some, such as plug-in reminders and smart charging. If I can do it in my spare time because I want/need it, I can't believe Tesla hasn't. I'm willing to give them some slack here, I know they have investors and other litigation that slows everything down but it's been years now - plural.

Love Tesla, love my Model S, love the concept, just not their execution on the mobile front. Sooo much potential.

Really, you are disappointed? I would think you would be thrilled if the revised app isn't that great? I haven't been on this board many months but wonder why the moderators let vendors come on here to not so subtly bash Tesla products.

 

[Drone Flyer]

As an independent developer of the 3rd party Tesla app, Dashboard for Tesla , I'm equally not impressed with the features listed in that article.

Mainly because I was hoping for new APIs to be introduced that exposed more functionality, such as setting charging amperage, controlling rear/front defrosters, steering wheel heater, seat heaters, trunk/frunk control, media control, etc.

And secondly, not tooting my horn here, but I've already completed those...

I would love it if the new app could "toot" my horn! LOL!

 

[Andyw2100]

I haven't been on this board many months but wonder why the moderators let vendors come on here to not so subtly bash Tesla products.

Because you and most of the TMC members aren't paying anything to be here and the Vendors are?

(And for the record I did not feel there was any Tesla-bashing in the post you were responding to.)

 

[EinSV]

I would love it if the new app could "toot" my horn! LOL!

Perhaps the app for your "P75D" works different than most. Mine already allows you to toot the horn (and flash the lights), which is good fun when you are out of town and have housesitters.

 

[SG57]

@azred , that's fair. It's not my intention to bash any Tesla product, sorry if that's how it came off, but if you're going to censor discussion does that include valid, constructive criticisms and should vendors not be a part of that discussion? I used my work as evidence of the possibilities that the official app could achieve without any backend service work (the scary stuff).

There's a lot of potential we all would benefit from if fully explored and implemented, whether it be by Tesla or a 3rd party.

@EinSV , I've definitely intentionally scared a friend by asking him to grab something from the garage.

 

[Az_Rael]

I would love to be able to turn seat heaters on via the app. I work nights and dont usually have the seat heater on when I come in to work at 50 degrees. But when I leave and its 35, that sure would be nice.

I am mostly spoiled from my Volt that automatically turned seat heaters on below a certain temp, so when you remote started via the app, if it was cold, seat heaters were turned on as well.

 

[slevit1md]

Also very unimpressed. Could care less about starting the car since it's not that difficult to carry the fob with me. Much more interested in ability to turn on defroster and seat warmers! This seems like a pretty glaring omission.

I'd like them to make the app look nicer and updating it to work with the newest iOS features is certainly nice. But I would have expected them to do those things long ago; the tesla app is one of the most out of date apps on my phone. I'm much more concerned with functionality at this point. Of course, these are only rumors, but really hoping they actually add functionality to the app instead of just updates that should have been made long ago.

I suppose that I shouldn't expect much, given how much has been promised vs delivered. How many time have we heard of the major UI changes that have yet to materialize?

 

[HankLloydRight]

Would be nice to have the app communicate with the car via bluetooth in addition to wifi. Would help in cases where one is trying to access the car where there is no wifi and the fob has been misplaced like this: Tesla Model S owner gets stranded in the desert for the craziest of reasons

Just a point here -- the app doesn't communicate with the car via wifi... it communicates via Wifi (or cellular) to the Tesla servers, which then talk to the car (via wifi or cellular). There's no direct connection and there is additional authentication through the Tesla API servers.

Not to say that direct BT connectivity couldn't happen, but without the indirection of the Tesla servers, that could open up the car for more hacking vectors.

 

[Patrick W]

Just a point here -- the app doesn't communicate with the car via wifi... it communicates via Wifi (or cellular) to the Tesla servers, which then talk to the car (via wifi or cellular). There's no direct connection and there is additional authentication through the Tesla API servers.

Not to say that direct BT connectivity couldn't happen, but without the indirection of the Tesla servers, that could open up the car for more hacking vectors.

You are correct, the app talks to the car via cell signal. Thanks for catching my error.

 

[HankLloydRight]

You are correct, the app talks to the car via cell signal. Thanks for catching my error.

I guess I'm not sure what you're trying to say, even with the smiley face.

The app does not talk to the car at all, either via wifi or cellular.

The app talks to Tesla, then Tesla talks to the car. Either connection (app->Tesla, Tesla->car) can be via wifi or cellular, depending on how the car or app is connected to the internet at that moment.

 

[Cyclone]

TouchId is nice but how often do you have to login on the phone? Credentials are saved.

Not impressed with the rumors? Maybe you would like a better rumor?
Actually my login gets unsaved frequently. Touch ID login would be a nice touch.

The "unsaved frequently" is because the official Tesla app is not saving your userID + password, but an OAUTH token that expires at most, every 90 days.

I personally don't really care either way having TouchID or not, but if you want to do remote start, it could come in handy there rather than typing in my cryptic password. The token renewal is convenient too, but at 4x/year, most owners don't see it often.

 

[JRMW]

Much more interested in ability to turn on defroster and seat warmers! This seems like a pretty glaring omission

Because... California

This is a common problem.
Tesla is so focused on California related issues that anything winter related is an after thought.

Recently I brought up how you can't lift up the wipers if you know a storm is coming. So my wipers froze to the windshield.

Some California posters said "well just use the wiper heaters" like we are idiots out here. Problem is you can't turn on wiper heaters remotely you have to get in car to do that. A car with freezing seats by the way. Cause you can't turn them on remotely either. Same with ice on rear window. So you gotta go and wait 10 minutes to drive, burning a ton of range. Unless you want to sit in a cold car with no heat for 10 minutes in 5F weather

It was like AWD. Californians telling Minnesotans that we don't need AWD, and that RWD is SO much better.
Then we magically find out AWD improves Driving in California (launching, range, handling, etc) and THEN we get it.

May God please hit Palo Alto with 5 blizzards so that Elon can think about winter