I've been looking into these, are they only compatible with an iphone? if so wtf why is that lol, I was just reading some not great reviews on hd radio as well, should that not be a determining factor in my next hu purchase?
Most new JVC HU's are android compatible. Also, if you're phone/headunit support A2DP you can just sync your phone up, start Pandora, and control your songs from your phone wirelessly. It isn't going to display song information or offer control from the HU, but it'll get the job done.
HD Radio is somewhat ineffective when you get about 20miles away from the originating signal. It's good if you are near your towers of your favorite stations and they actually carry a digital signal. It just never took off like it should have due to poor marketing and the technology's own limitations.
Honestly, with the smartphone age, you're better off getting your content either streamed from the internet, or just from a portable storage device like your phone or a flash drive.