BMW going to make you pay yearly subscription for Apple Carplay

[germ]

I just couldn't believe this

This is simply insane.

[tock172]

Yeah, pretty unpalatable off the bat. Not that it applies to us E82 1 series people, as I've only heard of one who retrofitted NBT iDrive, and that was prior to the tile based system and way before the current CarPlay enabled version.

Anyway, I find it ridiculous because most of the tech is in place on every vehicle, and BMW already charged an extra $300 to have it enabled on cars that already came with iDrive. The thing is that everything is going towards a subscription fee. BMW just announced you can use a car the same way now.

[bagekko]

Good I get upset you have to pay for the option and almost every car on the lot has it, will never own an Apple device and could care less if the next guy does. My issue is manufacturers that only offer Carplay or Android Auto, all cars should have the option of either/both. But paying an annual fee is BS either way. Its a suckers game, GM is the master of it with OnStar, my parents being suckers that pay the annual fee and have been for about 10 yrs over many vehicles they owned.

Theres already BMW fees for Connect post new car period. Is this new fee in addition to that....

[Gangplank]

Or some of us who have none of this stuff. Why? What does it do?? I use my iPhone all the time w/out paying a dime..,

[Lexington]

I don't have Apple Car play on my BMW but have it on a VW. You plug your phone into a USB port and your IPhone Apps, at least some of them, are then displayed in the vehicle screen and are accessible through the car. Best use so far for me is it provides Apple maps and navigation from the phone into the car. I don't have navigation on the car so this allows the phone navigation to be displayed on the vehicle's infotainment screen and directions come through the car's stereo system.

[Zombie_Head]

Got apply carplay in my Golf R and i am not paying anything monthly

What i am surprised is no android support till now, and people said VW was "falling behind" in the tech department.....

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by Zombie_Head

Got apply carplay in my Golf R and i am not paying anything monthly

What i am surprised is no android support till now, and people said VW was "falling behind" in the tech department.....

I'm not surprised there hasn't been any Android support. BMW has historically given Android users the middle finger. I have no doubt that the implementation of Android Auto by BMW will be half assed.

[Zombie_Head]

Originally Posted by zx10guy

I'm not surprised there hasn't been any Android support. BMW has historically given Android users the middle finger. I have no doubt that the implementation of Android Auto by BMW will be half assed.

if you ask me, the onboard navigation is more reliable (signal wise) than a phone.

If you do not have iDrive you can still connect your phone and use apps such as Spotify.

So in theory you do not need apply car play, unless you like a nice display of your contacts, messages and various app icons. That is assuming BMW does not lock that feature out and forces Apply Car play only.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by tock172

Anyway, I find it ridiculous because most of the tech is in place on every vehicle, and BMW already charged an extra $300 to have it enabled on cars that already came with iDrive. The thing is that everything is going towards a subscription fee. BMW just announced you can use a car the same way now.

It sounds like the new plan is to do away with the $300 up-front option fee and give the customer the first year free, followed by $80 annually thereafter. Works out well if you're on a 3-4 year lease, less so if you're a long-term owner.

I've never used CarPlay, but I don't really see the point. I mean, with Bluetooth, you can easily stream music, phone calls, and nav directions from your phone to your stereo, and you don't need a stupid screen on your dash, or a subscription fee. Maybe if I tried it, I'd come around. I just wish I had had the sense to order my 1er with Bluetooth 8 years ago...

[kaputt]

Is this just further evidence that BMW only builds its currently produced cars for the badge buying lease market?

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by Zombie_Head

if you ask me, the onboard navigation is more reliable (signal wise) than a phone.

If you do not have iDrive you can still connect your phone and use apps such as Spotify.

So in theory you do not need apply car play, unless you like a nice display of your contacts, messages and various app icons. That is assuming BMW does not lock that feature out and forces Apply Car play only.

Never had a problem with using nav on my phone.

I do have iDrive and there's practically zero support for Android which you're assuming I have an Apple product. I don't.

I got around the BMW Android hate by adding screen mirroring to the Bimmertech rear view camera setup I installed. Now I only use Waze which is much better than the factory nav system.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

It sounds like the new plan is to do away with the $300 up-front option fee and give the customer the first year free, followed by $80 annually thereafter. Works out well if you're on a 3-4 year lease, less so if you're a long-term owner.

I've never used CarPlay, but I don't really see the point. I mean, with Bluetooth, you can easily stream music, phone calls, and nav directions from your phone to your stereo, and you don't need a stupid screen on your dash, or a subscription fee. Maybe if I tried it, I'd come around. I just wish I had had the sense to order my 1er with Bluetooth 8 years ago...

While I don't regret having Bluetooth and use it extensively when I have to place or receive calls, I don't use it for anything else. I tried streaming audio with Bluetooth and the audio quality was sub par.

What having the screen gives you which having audio only for nav directions is all the stuff Waze provides you. I see traffic conditions, road hazards, speed limits, cops, etc. With my aftermarket setup, I see all of those things on the iDrive screen. And I get very decent sound quality via WiFi streaming from my phone.

[M_POWERED_BMW]

Chevy has these features with the equipment. BMW is locking us out of technology already in the vehicle. No infrastructure is required. Its a Money grab.

[mackeroni]

Apple Carplay works great and is free on my wife's 2018 Subaru Impreza Hatchback.

[desertman123]

Bayerisher MistWagen.

[chris_flies]

If I bought a new car based on infotainment system, I'd get a Ford. Integrated Waze support on-the-way and standard CarPlay and Android Auto. I hate not having Waze in CarPlay, especially since APPLE MAPS IS GARBAGE, COMPLETE AND UTTER SH*T, PURE AND SIMPLE CRAP. The only reason to jail break my phone...

[Matticus91]

How does this impact e82 drivers? I didn't think e82's had any way of getting CarPlay? I use android so no impact on me either way just curious.

[chris_flies]

Originally Posted by Matticus91

How does this impact e82 drivers? I didn't think e82's had any way of getting CarPlay? I use android so no impact on me either way just curious.

I don't think it does, then. I guess it's just a brand-related thing...