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Bluetooth is widely used and it’s a lovely feature to have on virtually anything in your possession. If someone were to ask you what Bluetooth MAP is would you be able to answer them with clear conviction? Probably not. That is nothing to worry about though because frolicking about in the deepest depths of Bluetooth code is not something most people care to do. Nor want to understand. They just want their stuff to work.
So what is Bluetooth MAP(Bluetooth Message Access Profile)? Well to put it as simply as possible its basically the Bluetooth standard profile that most cars use now a days. In other words Bluetooth MAP is how your vehicle communicates with your android device. In the past this was a pain in the ass of epic proportions and experiencing this problem first hand both personally and with customers during my stint in phone sales proves one thing; Connecting your Android phone to your car needs to be easier. With the release of Android 4.4 KitKat, we’ll start to see some changes in the simplicity department. If you’re wondering whether or not this matters to you, from a technical standpoint no. But if you want to hook your phone up to your in car console for easy Bluetooth related needs without a hassle than yes.
Many car manufacturers now use the Bluetooth MAP standard and its nice to see Google and Android tackle this problem that has plagued so many. The issue really arose with the release of Android 4.2.1 which pretty much bunked the compatibility of Android phone and in-car Bluetooth features. The loss of functionality enraged many a driver and only seemed to lessen the users happy experience with a feature that has since been made a law when it comes to using your phone while operating a vehicle.
Many placed the blame on the car makers, but the real hard truth is that the problem lie in the Bluetooth framework itself. Cars and devices just weren’t using the same Bluetooth standards, thus disallowing usability on a bigger scale. Thanks to Android 4.4, the Bluetooth stack within Android now will natively support the Bluetooth MAP, which should make connecting your cars Bluetooth functions to your phone much easier. Say goodbye to the days of asking your car dealer to link up your phone to your car’s Bluetooth.