I'm in the market for a GS. I'm waiting for Lexus to roll out the Apple Airplay. I hear it will be a huge technology advancement over the status quo. Does anybody have any insider info on updates to the 2015 model. My local dealer said they will be hitting the showrooms in Sept.

 

I am with you.... holding off until the word on 2015s arrives and any info has been painfully slow in coming unlike every other model. Hopefully the wait is worth it.

 

That will be when I finally move away from Lexus to a different car (after 10 years of owning multiple Lexus vehicles)

 

I hear ya bro! If they don't produce it for 2015, I'm just gonna pull the trigger on a 2014. These OEM's are horrible across the board. I want either google or apple to run my dashboard.

 

No word on Apple's CarPlay being supported in the 2015, but Siri Eyes Free will continue. You can preview the 2015 GS Enform/Nav by looking at the 2015 RC350. Remote Touch changes to the trackpad and moves closer to the driver on the console. SiriusXM data services are replaced by subscription-free services for Traffic, Weather, etc. I was going to wait for the 2015 MY on my GSh, but I wanted the Luxury package, which won't be offered on the 2015 GSh. Good news for those who want the GSh F-Sport is that it will be offered in the US for 2015. Don't have any more specific detail on the 2015 GS350, but expect the Nav/Enform changes will be the same.

 

I wouldn't assume the upgrades on the RC will find their way into the 2015 GS. The 2014 IS came out before the 2014 GS and the GS still has the older system while the IS has the newer system.

My guess is we won't see an infotainment upgrade to the GS, and certainly no changes in the RTC until the mid-cycle refresh which will likely be 2016.

 

Im guessing your right, no major changes until the refresh. I wish there was an option to have nav screen across the entire display, no split screen. I'll bet a happy meal that option comes with the refresh and Lexus will not do an update for 2013- models to have that option.

 

LOL OP you mean CARPLAY*. AirPlay is for iOS devices like AppleTV

 

Actually, that was not an assumption. Dealer orders are available in July so you can see the detail at that time.

 

Seeing that its not July, and nobody has seen what dealers can order, it is in fact an assumption. Unless you can give us some reason to trust your information? Bearing in mind many of us here have been Lexus enthusiasts for 15+ years and we know how tight lipped Lexus is about stuff like this.

 

Sorry, I can't comment further. Wait and see.

 

Uh huh. We've heard this before

If you honestly had this insider knowledge you wouldn't be posting on forums in this manner. Even dealers don't have this sort of insider knowledge about upcoming products.

 

You're right, in a sense, about the wisdom of posting pre-release information on public forums. I'll limit my comments to released information. Thanks for the reminder.

On topic, Lexus has not announced plans to support CarPlay or Android Auto. This is a major move as it gives control of the UI to the smart phone. Lexus has announced continued support for Siri Eyes Free, which I have on my 2014 GSh. It works well once she gets to know you.

The next generation Enform software shipped in MY14 on the CT, IS, and GX. In addition to improved remote apps, the significant change is the switch to subscription free HD radio data apps to replace the SiriusXM subscription-based apps for traffic, weather, sports, fuel prices, etc. Lexus has also announced the intent to add additional models for MY15.

I did have an opportunity to drive the RC-F in May. The car was a pre-production model, but it had both the new Enform software and the 3rd generation RTI touchpad. The new RTI is a big improvement in accuracy and reducing distraction. It provides haptic feedback. There is vibration you can feel in your finger. It would be a welcome addition to the GS.

Dealers have received the order dates for MY15 GS models, so we should see released details shortly on what changes will ship with the initial September production of the MY15 GS.

 

The bad thing about the Siri Eyes Free is the horrible sound coming out of that little speaker (same as when making phone calls). It would be nice if we can use all the speakers for it.

George, maybe you can report this to the tech guys so they can issue a software update to make Siri sounds better?

 

Right now, Siri streams it's audio via the HFP Bluetooth protocol, which is mono. Same issue with phone calls. It's actually not THAT bad in the GS, unless you compare it to wide bandwidth, stereo audio streamed via A2DP. The good news is that Lexus did integrate Siri with the noise canceling mic in the headliner, so recognition is pretty good.

As I understand it, better audio would require software changes on both sides. I do not know if Siri can use A2DP, but there is a wide bandwidth version of HFP that would make both phone calls and Siri sound better.