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Ford SYNC 4 Infotainment System Features Wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay

Launched in 2007 for the 2008 model year with great pomp and circumstance, SYNC infotainment has become a staple of Ford passenger cars, crossovers, trucks, and commercial vehicles. Made standard a few years later, SYNC leveled up to the third generation in December 2014.
Ford SYNC 4 Infotainment System 9 photos
Photo: Ford
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The outgoing version is different from the Gen 2 and Gen 1 primarily because it’s powered by BlackBerry QNX instead of Microsoft software, and the switch was made because the Remond-based company didn’t live up to the automaker’s expectations. To this day, Microsoft is known for laggy software and some of the worst customer support in the industry.

“SYNC has always featured the best of Ford innovation to help our customers stay connected to and manage their busy lives as they move about the world,” declared chief product development and purchasing officer Hau Thai-Tang. Not long now, SYNC 4 will open a new chapter for the Blue Oval by evolving “into an intelligent, voice-activated, in-vehicle digital assistant.”

Developed to support cord-free Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the fourth generation of infotainment has machine learning capability, cloud connectivity, and twice the computing power of SYNC 3. Oh, and spoiler alert! Touchscreen sizes will range from 8.0 inches to 15.5 inches.

From 12-inch displays and above, the user will be able to multi-task on SYNC 4 by splitting the screen into different windows. The 15.5-inch screen adds Adaptive Dash Cards, designed to display helpful information in an interactive manner for a more fulfilling user experience. “SYNC 4 puts these high-definition screens to work not only by offering even crisper displays, but also by making driving easier with new multi-tasking capabilities,” added Gary Jablonski, chief engineer for SYNC technology at the Ford Motor Company.

4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot will come standard, meaning that satellite navigation is always connected to the Internet for up-to-date information for your route. When entering a dead zone, the processing power of SYNC 4 is capable of minimizing issues when you go off-roading in the desert.

SYNC AppLink is compatible with apps such as Waze navigation the Alexa from Amazon while SiriusXM with 360L enables the user to choose from thousands and thousands of on-demand performances, shows, interviews, the whole nine yards. Every Ford and Lincoln equipped with SYNC 4 will feature a digital owner’s manual with streamable how-to videos and in-depth information about servicing and all that jazz.

Last, but certainly not least, 2020 is the year when the Ford Motor Company will roll out over-the-air update capability on "most redesigned vehicles in the United States."
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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