Updated BMW iPhone/iPod integration coming soon

[Technic]

Originally Posted by Crisp

I had the updated iDrive on my 2009 335i and also in my 2010 535i now.
At first, everything was exactly the same up to a month or so ago.

Then last month I noticed a few SMALL changes on my iDrive.
It seems as if my iDrive downloaded an update or something over the air.
A few features and names moved around such as the options screen on the map and the wording for some options.

I also somehow got a FREE subscription to BMW Assist so I can do google searches, etc. I think the "News" tab in BMW Assist is also new. I don't remember ever seeing this in my 535i when I first got it. It actually gives you news from different categories (local, global, sports, BMW News, etc) and even reads it back to you.

Since this is going to be a software based update, I'm guessing they can do it over the air just like my navi got "updated" over the air.


BTW. Anyone else notice these changes on their navi??

If anyone wants, I can post up a video with what my navi looks like and with what I think are the "changes".

That was a trial run of the new Convenience Plan ($199 a year) features for non-paying Assist members.

If you still are seeing those features in your iDrive and not have paid for the service then just don't tell anyone else.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by mattssi

bluetooth audio would be nice too - hello 2010

Bluetooth Audio is somewhere in the TCU for MY2011 already, just not enabled in the USA.

[ARISIN]

I wish they also allowed the use of the maps software. So you can plan you trip while at home on either google maps(on your laptop), download or access from iphone and display on the infotainment. Then we dont have to duplicate work in the car gps.

[EZ_TUR90]

I hope this works on pre-lci.

Me personally:
MP3- I have an ipod in the car
Phone- Motorola Cliq/ Android Based.

[TheBry]

Originally Posted by AustinL

Buhahahaa, sounds like written from Apple's worker. There is pretty much nothing better in iPhone 4 when comparing to HTC's flagship models. And it is not my fault US customers have to be phones with contracts to specific operator. Android is and will be better platform than Apple's OS.

AusinL, with respect, I think you're missing the point. For better or worse, the iPhone is the most logical choice for integration for several reasons:

1.] There are way more iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPod touch devices out there than HTC Android devices (I think Apple recently said to date they've shipped 100 Million mobile devices which are all running the iOS).

2.] Since nearly all of these 100M devices are capable of running the same OS and have the same connector and identical hardware-out specs, it's a no brainer to support them.

3.] Contrast the above with the myriad list of Android devices and the various flavors of the operating system, various connectivity schemes, various hardware capabilities, and it becomes nightmarish to imagine BMW trying to test and guarantee integration of all these devices with their cars.

4.] It can be argued that the latest crop of HTC devices (Nexus One, Incredible, etc.) are as good as the iPhone, but the respective carriers aren't shipping enough of them to make a difference.

Like it or not, Apple's strategy (one OS, one basic set of known hardware capabilities) is the better strategy when it comes to integration. BMW will immediately satisfy a huge number of customers by better supporting iPhone.

And, finally, I'll bet it can be argued that there's a lot of overlap between Apple and BMW customers.

[jeremyc74]

I really wish all the smartphone manufacturers would agree on some universal interface standard so we're not forced into buying an iPhone to be able to use the integration. I'm never going to buy an iPhone because of the way the restrict the apps that can run on it (it's my damn hardware, and if I want naked dancing women on the screen, or whatever, when it rings, it's no one's business but mine), but I'd love to have a higher level of integration.

Maybe Ford will do better with their Sync system.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by TheBry

AusinL, with respect, I think you're missing the point. For better or worse, the iPhone is the most logical choice for integration for several reasons:

1.] There are way more iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPod touch devices out there than HTC Android devices (I think Apple recently said to date they've shipped 100 Million mobile devices which are all running the iOS).

2.] Since nearly all of these 100M devices are capable of running the same OS and have the same connector and identical hardware-out specs, it's a no brainer to support them.

3.] Contrast the above with the myriad list of Android devices and the various flavors of the operating system, various connectivity schemes, various hardware capabilities, and it becomes nightmarish to imagine BMW trying to test and guarantee integration of all these devices with their cars.

4.] It can be argued that the latest crop of HTC devices (Nexus One, Incredible, etc.) are as good as the iPhone, but the respective carriers aren't shipping enough of them to make a difference.

Like it or not, Apple's strategy (one OS, one basic set of known hardware capabilities) is the better strategy when it comes to integration. BMW will immediately satisfy a huge number of customers by better supporting iPhone.

And, finally, I'll bet it can be argued that there's a lot of overlap between Apple and BMW customers.

1. Google and Windows are both not all that far behind.

2. Standard USB and a minijack is all that's needed. Apple uses that stupid connector just to make things difficult. The vast majority of other smartphones use USB, which makes much more sense because the cable works with lots of other things as well.

3. The functions that need to be integrated aren't different between the various manufacturers. It's just skins that make them different. Things like contacts and music are still held and played the same way on all of them.

4. There are massive numbers of Windows Mobile and Google phones being shipped every day. Plenty to justify the cost of integration.


BMW should be selling a software package that allows interface to all the major OS. It's an agreement with Apple that prevents this, not any real technical issues.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by ARISIN

I wish they also allowed the use of the maps software. So you can plan you trip while at home on either google maps(on your laptop), download or access from iphone and display on the infotainment. Then we dont have to duplicate work in the car gps.

If your iDrive is MY2009-on then you can use Google Maps "Send to Car" feature (MyInfo) right now to send destinations directly to your car from home or anywhere Google Maps is accessible. No need to have an iPhone. The Assist service can also send destinations to your iDrive if you call them.

If you want to do it by USB download then you will have to wait a little bit... http://www.bmw-routes.com/de/de/index.jsp

It is coming to the USA soon.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by EZ_TUR90

I hope this works on pre-lci.

Me personally:
MP3- I have an ipod in the car
Phone- Motorola Cliq/ Android Based.

It's rather certain this will not work on CCC based iDrive systems.

[persian54]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

1. Google and Windows are both not all that far behind.

2. Standard USB and a minijack is all that's needed. Apple uses that stupid connector just to make things difficult. The vast majority of other smartphones use USB, which makes much more sense because the cable works with lots of other things as well.

3. The functions that need to be integrated aren't different between the various manufacturers. It's just skins that make them different. Things like contacts and music are still held and played the same way on all of them.

4. There are massive numbers of Windows Mobile and Google phones being shipped every day. Plenty to justify the cost of integration.


BMW should be selling a software package that allows interface to all the major OS. It's an agreement with Apple that prevents this, not any real technical issues.

1) not far behind.. well then you just admitted that they are indeed behind

2) you are absolutely correct

3) no comment

4) but not nearly as many as Apple iPhone 3G-4, iPod Touch 2nd Gen to 3rd Gen.

[Doctor J]

Not available till 2011? fuck hurry up bmw

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by persian54

1) not far behind.. well then you just admitted that they are indeed behind

4) but not nearly as many as Apple iPhone 3G-4, iPod Touch 2nd Gen to 3rd Gen.

Windows sells more computer OSs than Apple, does that mean there's no point in selling 3rd party software to run on Macs? Of course it doesn't. There are PLENTY of Google and WM phones out there to justify the development cost. The fact that they're not currently the #1 selling mobile OS doesn't have anything to do with it.

The fact of the matter is the reason BMW is going with Apple is because of an agreement between the two companies, not because it makes the most sense.

[guarnibl]

This is cool, but my Prius had that back in 07

[TheBry]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

Windows sells more computer OSs than Apple, does that mean there's no point in selling 3rd party software to run on Macs? Of course it doesn't. There are PLENTY of Google and WM phones out there to justify the development cost. The fact that they're not currently the #1 selling mobile OS doesn't have anything to do with it.

The fact of the matter is the reason BMW is going with Apple is because of an agreement between the two companies, not because it makes the most sense.

No, but it's a generally accepted fact that there is less software available for the Mac than for Windows, and that there are far fewer hardware peripherals available. Why? Because when the makers of these peripheral products are faced with limited resources, a market of 90% is way more attractive than a market of 10%. Why would BMW be any different?

Apple has cornered the market on portable music / media players (much like Microsoft has cornered the market on desktop OS's). Don't forget, inside every iPhone is an iPod. Assume BMW are at a fork in the road... do they support the device that has 90% of the market or the ones that COLLECTIVELY represent 10%?

We all know the decision they made. I'm not an Apple fanboy, just a realist

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by TheBry

No, but it's a generally accepted fact that there is less software available for the Mac than for Windows, and that there are far fewer hardware peripherals available. Why? Because when the makers of these peripheral products are faced with limited resources, a market of 90% is way more attractive than a market of 10%. Why would BMW be any different?

Apple has cornered the market on portable music / media players (much like Microsoft has cornered the market on desktop OS's). Don't forget, inside every iPhone is an iPod. Assume BMW are at a fork in the road... do they support the device that has 90% of the market or the ones that COLLECTIVELY represent 10%?

We all know the decision they made. I'm not an Apple fanboy, just a realist

Apple doesn't have anywhere CLOSE to 90% of the smartphone market though. Where are you coming up with those numbers?!

Here's the breakdown:

Symbian : 51%
Microsoft : 9%
RIM : 18.7%
Apple : 13.3%
Android : 2%

[KevinO]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

2. Standard USB and a minijack is all that's needed. Apple uses that stupid connector just to make things difficult. The vast majority of other smartphones use USB, which makes much more sense because the cable works with lots of other things as well.
...
BMW should be selling a software package that allows interface to all the major OS. It's an agreement with Apple that prevents this, not any real technical issues.

First of all, that 'stupid' connector carries analog audio, video, and other things beyond USB. So there is, alas, a reason they don't 'just use USB'. They could obviously have USB and then a second connector for the rest, but that wouldn't be very Apple-like.

Secondly, there is no agreement with Apple that prevents BMW from interfacing to other systems (in fact, they already do via generic USB drive support). It's the playlists and other 'special' features that are the challenge, and BMW is horribly inept when it comes to supporting just one (Apple), never mind a host more.

Apple's approach with the iPod Out functionality is actually very smart, and if other vendors mimic it, you might actually see BMW support more vendors.

iPod Out basically just passes control signals to the iPod/iPhone, and the iPod/iPhone actually generates the display. So in the future, when Apple does add some new feature to the iPod/iPhone, BMW doesn't have to do anything. The extent of their interface is connecting the steering/iDrive controller & buttons to the iPod/iPhone, displaying the iPod Out video, and of course actually capturing the audio. This versus today, where the BMW head unit has to actually know how to talk to the iPod song database, read playlists etc, which means every time Apple tweaks that, it has the potential to break the integration. For example, the BMW system caches a lot of playlist data, so smart playlists which update on the fly on the iPod don't generally work via the BMW integration (they get out of sync easily).

Once this system is in place, if Apple adds a new audio category (say - Streaming Radio), BMW doesn't need to know about it or do anything to support it.

Here's hoping there will (eventually) be a way to retrofit to my 2009 LCI w/Nav.

[TheBry]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

Apple doesn't have anywhere CLOSE to 90% of the smartphone market though. Where are you coming up with those numbers?!

Here's the breakdown:

Symbian : 51%
Microsoft : 9%
RIM : 18.7%
Apple : 13.3%
Android : 2%

My bad... I sortof changed the argument on you. I never said they own 90% of the smartphone market. That'd be more than a little stupid on my part. I said inside each and every one of Apple's smartphones is an iPod. I then made a random assumption that the iPod and iPhone market combined (as music players) represent 90% of the overall music player market. It's probably lower, but not by much. Let's see the figures for other media players (say Microsoft [Zune], Sandisk [Sansa], etc.).

You can't argue that Apple's iPod doesn't own the digital music player market.

So, I stand by my original assertion that BMW picked the right horse to ride for digital music integration. The iPod (iPhone, iPod touch, etc.) There are simply too many of them out there to ignore.

[Silent9o8]

so what about us 08 users? just buy a software?

[cotmfk]

Originally Posted by kmarei

isn't that interior the current 3 series?

It is.

Originally Posted by AustinL

I hate to see BMW working together with Apple. There are a bunch of better phones & mp3 players than Apple's, for example Android phones from HTC are much better than iPhone 4.

Disagree.

[AlbinoSnail]

bout damn time. better be a software upgrade included....

[ss134]

This will not be software only upgrade. These new functions require the 'Combox' hardware to work.

Here is useful link:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=362709

[elie06]

Originally Posted by Sealobo

This better be a free software upgrade for the MY2011 5er...!

My F10 is scheduled for a mid December delivery, so hopefully it will be included... if not they'd better allow for an update... or i'll reschedule delivery till January !

If somebody from BMW reads these posts, can You guys enlighten us Apple fans ?

Regards to all fellow Bimmers !

:-)