Does anyone know when we might be able to see a version of MBrace for Android? I'd love to have the car locator feature available on my Android phone.

I guess MB has yet to receive the memo that Android is the most widely used smartphone OS...

 

MB doesn't have anything to do with it, it's the developers who design apps for Android and MBrace. I'd call MBrace (Hughes Telematics) and tell them.

I've spoken with some iOS developers who say they don't develop for Android primarily because Apple has better developer support and the integrated and centralized App Store. Google never set up the same thing for Android developers which made it harder for them to sell their apps. And Amazon's Android App store has had teething problems and hasn't really gone anywhere yet.

That's probably the main reason there are fewer apps for Droids even if they are more phones out there.

This is kind of the classic Microsoft versus Apple philosophy working again. Either build just the OS and get paid by the hardware manufacturers that use the OS, or build both the OS and the hardware therefore making it seamless and always 100% compatible.

p.s., here's a recent article that came out today http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2383088,00.asp

"Google makes it relatively easy to develop for the Android operating system and the opportunity to generate revenue is improving, but issues remain with Android fragmentation and limited visibility in Android app stores, according to a recent report.

About 55 percent of Android developers find OS fragmentation to be a meaningful or huge problem, according to a Monday study from Robert W. Baird & Co. This is an increase from the company's fourth quarter survey.

"Generally, developers seem to prefer a unified, single store experience like Apple App Store," Baird found. "We view this feedback as directionally negative for the Android operating ecosystem and its handset partners, though we would note that this risk is well known by the market and developers view Android's long-term prospects as bright."

 

hmm... I see what you are saying but the apple app is free so no one is really making money out of these apps but Mercedes is "providing" them to their customers -- albeit granted via a third party. But at the end of the day it is Mercedes who is paying for this perhaps via a third party and as a customer who only has Android phones I wish they'd get their act together soon and provide an Android interface. This is not *that* difficult. My background is in software architecture so I know this is not that difficult. A lot of other products I use offer Android apps.

I don't think our cars are comaptible with this but if the ever enable remote start via the MBrace app, that would be a killer feature...

 

It's not free. It's simply offered free to the end user. MBrace is paying for the app to be developed. Mercedes is only contracting MBrace to provide the telematics service for new cars (btw, you still have a choice to remain with TeleAid and not bother with MBrace.) And MBrace is offering consumers the app "free" in order get them to keep on subscribing to their service.

Call MBrace and tell them you'd like the app ported to the Android OS. If they feel it will bring in more subscribers to MBrace, then they'll do it. Getting subscribers is what it's all about. TeleAid and MBrace operate on the same model that cell phone providers do: i.e., revenue from consumer contracts.....

 

That's what I meant by "free." I realize my Mbrace fee goes to pay for the supporting infrastructure including app access to the MBrace command interfaces. I've actually brought this to their attention several times and each time they say they realize the important of Android support and that they are "working on it." I was wondering if anyone had any more info...

 

Let me share what I learned this past Friday. I've been calling about this on a regular basis - Up to this point, NO satisfaction! But my last call, I pressed the button that got me routed to Roadside Assistance. The person couldn't help with 'when' the Mbrace will be compatible with Andriod, but she stayed on the line while I spoke with the actual Mbrace people. According to the voice at Mbrace, they (Verizon) are working on software and although there was no promise, it is on the way! At one point she said it might be as soon as two weeks, but then corrected herself and recanted that time-frame.
Just to be a pest, I call them from my car about every two weeks. They document all calls and are quite familiar with my 'pest' history.
Good luck with this -

 

Thanks so much for the update! I'd love to have Brace access from my Android phone (Samsung Galaxy/Epic). I'm not sure how accurate the information they gave you is because it could be they just wanted to tell you something to get you off the phone. The point being that this is not something that Verizon would be involved with at all because they are a carrier. This application needs to be developed by the software developer who created the iphone app. Honestly I don't understand what the big deal is to launch this in Android as the iPhone app probably calls some Web Service on a server and the app is just a pretty UI. I bet an 18-20 year old can develop this if they had access to the interface protocols in about a week. MB/MBrace or whoever is responsible for this service is just dragging their feet.

 

I spoke with Verizon/mbrace re android app this week and got much the same response "the app is in the works." I am trying real hard not to hold my breath!

 

I think the more we call MBrace and complain about it, the better it would be. Especially with Android having so much marketshare these days it sis silly for MBrace to only support the Blackberry ad the iPhone.

 

spoke again with mbrace...techs parrot that it's in the works but no time frame.. EVERYONE CALL>>>>>>

 

app was released today for Android devices. app for blackberries has been discontinued.

I have it running perfectly on my droid bionic

 

OMG! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!

Downloading it now on my Samsung Epic...

 

can someone explain to me like a 5 year old, what exactly Mbrace is and does?

 

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/mbrace/faqs

 

when I call mbrace and ask for traffic it says nothing to report but I'm in a jam, or sometimes it tells me can "see me car". Any suggestions?

Thanks

Also great news about the app

 

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/mbrace/mobile_application

 

I tried to unlock my car and it didn't work, but I got a message from embrace about my alarm going off, I will try again tomorrow.