Car Mode or Hands Free Mode

[jake14mw]

Hi all,

I am a new Galaxy S6 Active owner, on AT&T. I previously had a Galaxy S4. One of the most used features on my S4 was Hands Free Mode. This mode puts your phone in voice mode and announced incoming texts and allowed you to have them read out and reply to them by voice, also to answer incoming calls by voice. I had an NFC chip on my Ibolt Car Dock that would launch the Ibolt app and put the phone in car mode, very convenient. This mode is no longer in the S6.

I have done some research, and here is a summary of what I think I understand(some of this from threads in this forum):
1) Samsung purposefully removed the function from the 6S.
2) For non-AT&T S6 owners, you can go to the Galaxy Apps folder and download it. AT&T removed it from there.
3) The functionality is being added to the latest Android release, 5.1?
4) Some S6 owners have received this latest Android update, others have not. I haven't.
5) Samsung recently announced (September 3rd) a new Car Mode app, sounds like it will be a standalone app, and be able to be intergrated with certain cars. Has anyone heard when this will become available?

So, I'm trying to figure out what I can do to get this functionality on my S6 Active. Does anyone have any suggestions? Is there an idea of when AT&T S6 owners will get that latest Android update? I'm struggling with a few of these things that are missing from my S4. Thanks for any help.

 

[jake14mw]

Nothing from anyone? Am I the only one that has this issue?

 

[jake14mw]

What do you people do with your phone in the car?

 

[bryenmiller]

I'm in the same situation man! I also has a s4 and an ibolt mount and loved car mode and incomming texts being read out loud. Today I realized my s6 isn't doing it. Let me know if you find a solution. Still looking here. I'm hoping maybe car home ultra has a work around but still haven't found it yet. Why would Samsung remove this?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[bryenmiller]

Do you have AT&T? If not try go to Galaxy store and search for car mode or hands free mode app & download it. I read though that AT&T customers can't download the app... Which is what I have.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jake14mw]

Yes, I have an S6 Active on AT&T, so I can't do that. Did you get the Android 5.1 update? I heard this would provide an option for this?

 

[bryenmiller]

I did but still don't see an option for it.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[jake14mw]

I did but still don't see an option for it.

Posted via the Android Central App

Wow, that's really dissapointing. I thought it was coming with that release.

 

[lucianus_luciferus]

car mode is still here. they just removed the toggle. if you download mapfactor gps navigation you will see it working

 

[jake14mw]

car mode is still here. they just removed the toggle. if you download mapfactor gps navigation you will see it working

Sorry, I don't understand. Is there a way I can set the phone to announce and read incoming texts and answer calls by voice?

 

[AlphaTango414]

Just done a quick Google play search. Down load Car Mode Control.

It is a toggle for car mode, not a third party. I have a S6 on At&t (5.1.1) and it enables car mode.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

 

[lucianus_luciferus]

Sorry, I don't understand. Is there a way I can set the phone to announce and read incoming texts and answer calls by voice?

well i dont know about texts but you can always answer calls by voice. open phone app and there is a setting in answering and ending calls.

 

[donganz]

I don't know if this helps but I understand and have the same issue I wished the car mode feature was still there. So my workaround is using the S voice feature for wake up command. It's so annoying to find it through settings so I go into the Samsung folder I clicked s voice I clicked the settings I change the wake up command so that it is a phrase only I could wake it up with and now when i get a text or something I want to hear while I'm driving I use my new command and ask it to read new text messages or new appointments or call. Sorry it's not technically written nicely but I'm actually driving now and don't want to have to pull over and I keep forgetting to say. Or, or etcetera while I'm talking good luck. Sorry I forgot to say it will wake up with your command even if its locked

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[TerriW]

I have been searching for day on this. I just upgraded to the Note 5 from the 4 and it doesn't have Car Mode and my 2011 cadillac doesn't recognize mirrorlink....I am bummed...