Any Grom Users Using Iphone 5 Yet?

matt-c · October 10, 2012

Really pleased with my Grom that I installed a few months ago - specially since it was such a bargain at £35 delivered! So easy to just whack my iPhone4 in for short journeys, or my iPod Classic for long journeys

However, I'm upgrading to iPhone5 (when they eventually send it to me) and a bit worried that it will make my Grom redundant (obviously I'll still be able to use it with my iPod, but 90% of the time I just use my Iphone, since most of the time it's short journeys) thanks to the new connector.

Now I know there's an adapter to turn the 30pin to the new 8pin, but I have no idea if it will work with a Grom - apple says it will allow "analog" audio output, but nothing about whether it will allow control such as skip forward/back, playlist selection, etc etc. I've mailed Grom, but only got back "Sorry we don't have any immediate news on an Iphone 5 cable but are currently keeping an eye on it."

Has anyone with a Grom upgraded to an i5 and tried it with the adapter?

matt-c · October 15, 2012

No?

LexIS200Sport · October 16, 2012

I think it's a bit early to tell mate, don't know if the iphone5 has began delivery in the UK to be honest. I'm afraid you may end up being the guinea pig to try it out! :P

Otherwise, you can always get the Bluetooth add-on for the Grom unit, and connect your phone through that. It offers the same controls through the headunit, and the sound quality is not bad

matt-c · October 16, 2012

Iphone has been in delivery for a month here in the UK

I won't be guinea-pigging though, I cancelled my upgrade, and am sticking with my 4 for the time being.

I did think about the BT add-on, but don't really want the drop is SQ, and I'd also lose the charge function. Plus I don't leave my BT activated on the phone, as it drains Battery, so I'd have to turn it on everytime.

Posted October 17, 2012 · October 17, 2012

iPhone has been in delivery for a month here in the UK

I won't be guinea-pigging though, I cancelled my upgrade, and am sticking with my 4 for the time being.

I did think about the BT add-on, but don't really want the drop is SQ, and I'd also lose the charge function. Plus I don't leave my BT activated on the phone, as it drains battery, so I'd have to turn it on everytime.

The Iphone 5 uses a new standard of Bluetooth "4.0" which uses considerably less power the what u would normally be used to! Grom will have to license the connector design from apple as it cannot be copied like the old one. apple have place a security chip inside the new connector to authenticate its viability to the Iphone!

This in turn will delay the connectors availability.

matt-c · October 17, 2012

I'm sorry, we're not following each other. I know all about the connector, and the chip (it can be copied, and has been copied, including the chip inside it). I don't want to connect the phone by Bluetooth, as I've already stated.

Going back to my original question, I'm looking to know if anyone has a grom, and has an Iphone 5, and has tried it with the adapter to see if it works. That's all.

LexIS200Sport · October 18, 2012

matt-c · October 18, 2012

Now that does look like promising news! Thanks for posting that - I gave up on twitter years ago, so I'd have missed that!

richardghia · November 23, 2012

I have an Iphone 5 and GROM unit. I bought a lightning to 30 pin adaptor from an apple store and it works perfectly as it does with the previous gen. apple products. Track skip still works and everything.

matt-c · November 23, 2012

Thanks Richard, that's excellent news!

richardghia · November 23, 2012

No probs.

Great news untill you see the price of the adapter!

I bought the GROM unit over the summer with the thought that I would upgrade from a Blackberry to the new Iphone in September and just about the only thing apple changed from the 4S was the connector design!!

Ah well.

matt-c · November 23, 2012

Won't be long till the Chinese knock-off's flood the market, just as they have with the previous connectors and adapters though. Granted there was a little hiccup at first as no-one knew about the "secret" authentication chip apple sneakily put in the connectors, but this will be cracked, just as everything has.

But I know what you're saying. It's one of the reasons I cancelled my i5 upgrade; I'd need at least 2 adapters and an extra cable for it, which is £65!