I was unable to resolve my issue so I took it to the dealer and they fixed it and installed v2.2 free of charge (I already installed new media hub).

 

That's good news. Good dealer you have there. They should all be like that.

 

I was satisfied with just bluetooth audio and phone until I used the in car nav a few times, and it is pretty goofy. I thought it was the cheap Type C cables I got for charging (as mine came with Type C to Type C cable), but after trying so many of them, I decided I had a configuration issue. Apparently I disallowed any Android Auto connections in the phone. I found the setting and allowed my Escape, and viola I have it on the dash screen now.

I now think that Android Auto is better than CarPlay in most respects. Okay Google will read wiki pages and stuff, CarPlay says it can't load web content while driving. Also the navigation looks better, has a better dark interface and works better than Siri.

Still working through some of the commands, I use "Okay Google" a lot, but this is a different context. I always use it via my Bluetooth headphones while walking, never taking out my phone from my pocket and ruining my night vision.

I have a '17 so it came with compatible USB connections, one in the center console the other in the dash in the lower cubby.

Depending on what I am doing, I will probably still leave the phone in my pocket and use bluetooth audio and phone, but longer trips will use Android Auto.

 

I wasn't sure which thread to add this comment to, so I'll put it here.

I have used Carplay in my 2017 Escape, but while on vacation I rented a car and it was a Chevy Malibu that had carplay. Well, I was just in messages while parked and was sending a pic to a friend. When I pressed on it (iphone 7), I think with touch 3d, the preview for the pic went onto the carplay screen. I tested this with a video from my camera roll in messages and it plays the video on the carplay screen. This only worked in messages when previewing the pic you are sending/sent.

I think this is probably a 'bug' that wasn't meant to work this way as the airplay says it's going to an appletv.

I tested this when i got home on my Escape and it worked there too.

 

Question about Sync3 - I recently rented a 2017 Ford Flex with it and everything was great - except that when you use Android Auto, your temperature or fan speed settings no longer pop-up when you adjust them, though for some reason you can see the volume level pop-up when turning the knob. I know this isn't Google's fault, because I also recently drove a 2017 Chevy Malibu and the temperature/fan speed pop-ups still came on when using Android Auto.

Does this issue persist with the Escape?

Edit: Just realized it doesn't really matter as the Escape shows the temperature and fan setting on the centre stack itself!