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      08-12-2018, 10:42 PM   #1
Atomicchicken
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So I've been searching and reading as many posts and comments about BMW's integration of CarPlay and it seems the majority of you seem to think it's a waste of money. I've never had a car with it but from my understanding is that Apple CarPlay have the same interface and functions support regardless of manufactures. Basically it's just an extension of iOS and just projects the interface on the infotainment display. What's so bad with it? Do you hate it because of the way BMW handles CarPlay or is it that CarPlay itself is terrible? Could you clarify why you think it's a waste of money?

Also it seems as if from 2019 it's now a subscription based model but is there any other difference between pre and post 2019 in functionality?

Thanks
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      08-12-2018, 11:00 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Atomicchicken View Post
So I've been searching and reading as many posts and comments about BMW's integration of CarPlay and it seems the majority of you seem to think it's a waste of money. I've never had a car with it but from my understanding is that Apple CarPlay have the same interface and functions support regardless of manufactures. Basically it's just an extension of iOS and just projects the interface on the infotainment display. What's so bad with it? Do you hate it because of the way BMW handles CarPlay or is it that CarPlay itself is terrible? Could you clarify why you think it's a waste of money?

Also it seems as if from 2019 it's now a subscription based model but is there any other difference between pre and post 2019 in functionality?

Thanks
I’ve had it across three different brands and I don’t care for it.

At least BMW via iDrive gives you the option to run everything through iDrive or CarPlay. On the other brands it mostly just takes everything over when you plug your phone into the USB port.

One thing I hate about it is it limits your searching of your contacts or music. But, you can still unlock your iPhone and get to what you want while driving (which makes zero sense). I think the maps are terrible as well. IMO it basically does everything subpar and I usually just bypass it whenever I can.

Last edited by minn19; 08-12-2018 at 11:23 PM..
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      08-12-2018, 11:21 PM   #3
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Because a well done infotainment in the car makes it so you do NOT need Apple Carplay or Android Auto. Apple Carplay & Android Auto completely takes over the system and it's annoying as all hell.

There are far too many car reviewers (Redline on YouTube is the biggest offense to this) loves to shove or call out car manufacturers for the lack of Android Auto or Apple Carplay for any car and it's just annoying to hear it. BMW's iDrive is so good you do not need it, it stunts the infotainment. There hasn't been one Apple Carplay or Android Auto I have ran into that I like to use. If the car's own infotainment is that bad that you need either, it's much easier to just use your phone through Bluetooth and completely avoid the hassle.

P.S. You shouldn't be texting or reading your text while you drive regardless.
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      08-12-2018, 11:38 PM   #4
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I like it. Very little complaints
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      08-13-2018, 05:58 AM   #5
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I like it. Very little complaints
I like to too.

Maybe a little annoying when you want to get out of it and it takes a few too many button presses but overall I like it
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      08-13-2018, 06:16 AM   #6
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I had it in a loaner car and didn't see any added functionality worth the price. Just additional screens to navigate through.
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      08-13-2018, 06:58 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Atomicchicken View Post
So I've been searching and reading as many posts and comments about BMW's integration of CarPlay and it seems the majority of you seem to think it's a waste of money. I've never had a car with it but from my understanding is that Apple CarPlay have the same interface and functions support regardless of manufactures. Basically it's just an extension of iOS and just projects the interface on the infotainment display. What's so bad with it? Do you hate it because of the way BMW handles CarPlay or is it that CarPlay itself is terrible? Could you clarify why you think it's a waste of money?

Also it seems as if from 2019 it's now a subscription based model but is there any other difference between pre and post 2019 in functionality?

Thanks
The only thing I want CarPlay for is once Waze becomes available. I live in and drive in the greater NYC area and the difference between Waze/Google Maps and BMW navigation during busy times can sometimes be very significant. BMW does use some active traffic and it's not horrible but it's not on the same level as Waze. I've had both running simultaneously and now I just use Waze from my phone/cup holder when traffic becomes a factor. I don't even bother w bmw maps.

However, I was with my friend in his new M550 and watched how he used CarPlay and it looked very disappointing. It looked like it stopped his XM radio when a text came through and he went to read it. As others have mentioned above - it takes over the system and becomes one or the other (CarPlay vs iDrive). It seems as if you have Waze running (once available) that you can only be in CarPlay and will not have access to anything else in idrive including simple things such as XM continuing to play.

Give me Waze on the left and XM on the right (idrive split screen) and I'll subscribe all day. Waze alone for me is worth the price of entry.
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      08-13-2018, 07:10 AM   #8
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I would have to turn it back on and endure the horrors of it in order to write it all down.

However, I agree with many here, the BMW iDrive is simply better and its all or nothing with CarPlay on. Even using voice dial is different.

One of the other keys is that you need to hold down the voice command button to get Siri- if you don't do that - well, nothing seems to work.

And..I had it (CarPlay) in a Dodge Charger last year and I liked it - so my hatred for it might have something to do with the way bmw implemented it?? Hard to explain. But yes, it does suck in a BMW
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      08-13-2018, 07:38 AM   #9
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Sorry but iDrive is so much better, especially for music scrolling, search etc.. Never liked car play. Using the iDrive controller I can zip through playlists, find what I want much faster without taking my eyes off road (heads up display). Waste of money to buy car play on the BMW. Can't speak to other cars as their interfaces may not as good as iDrive.
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      08-13-2018, 07:58 AM   #10
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It is so limiting, when I think about it it is basically the same thing as the press to hole (Siri) button, and it just makes the iDrive look like an iPad. Other than the map display, which is worse than the iDrive map as it lacks contrast, there is very little info displayed on the screen.

I have it in 2 cars, and I have disabled it in both as I prefer the Ford Sync and iDrive over it.

It is not like I don't like Apple stuff, I have been using a Mac almost exclusively since 1987.

My Ford has Android auto and honestly, it is not much better.

The one feature that will have me enabling CarPlay is the ability to run Waze.
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      08-13-2018, 08:15 AM   #11
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BMW iDrive is better than CarPlay in everything. CarPlay is perfect in rental cars.
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      08-13-2018, 09:37 AM   #12
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Podcast app seems to integrate better with CarPlay. On our non-CarPlay X3 there's no control buttons which astounds me. No option to skip forward/backward 15 secs and no way to pause the podcast. Hit the mute button and it restarts the whole podcast. Stupid.
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      08-13-2018, 11:22 AM   #13
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I have it on my AppRadio4 in another vehicle. It's well integrated there since it was designed with it in mind.

I've had it on several BMW service loaners and the small display plus using the i drive knob makes it less useful on the platform. Even on the NBT Evo's with the touch screen it's not the best integration.

BMW's idrive is pretty good as it is.
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      08-13-2018, 11:38 AM   #14
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Interesting topic. I have it on my 2018 F80 and frankly, I’ve just been using it pretty much since I picked up the car in the States. I haven’t really tried running my phone from iDrive. Now I’m going to give iDrive a go and see which one I like better. That said, I have liked the familiarity of the interface for playing music and responding to texts via voice. In my experience, it doesn’t take over and it operates quite well simultaneously with iDrive. For example, using the iDrive nav while playing music and responding to texts via car play has worked very well. Also responding to texts while listening to sat radio has worked well. The radio resumes playing automatically once you are done responding. Getting in and out is easy too—just push the menu button and you are back to iDrive. I do think the iDrive nav is better, especially since I have the live traffic info. I’m sure it isn’t as good as waze for making your way through traffic, but I’m not a waze user for other reasons.
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      08-14-2018, 12:05 AM   #15
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I thought that apple standardized the CarPlay interface on all cars. So the CarPlay interface is different from manufacture to manufacture? Also it seems most people don't like the fact that CarPlay completely takes over the infotainment system but isn't that what it's suppose to do? And input via voice or screen is the norm isn't it? As one mentioned before, the infotainment screen becomes a iPad like screen and you can use touch to access controls right? Does the rotary knob on the center console work with CarPlay?

Also once the iPhone is connected via cable, can you access all the functions of the phone via voice and touch screen without the need to touch the iPhone directly?

Last edited by Atomicchicken; 08-14-2018 at 12:12 AM..
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      08-14-2018, 12:43 AM   #16
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So I tried the iDrive control of my iPhone X on the way home today. I actually prefer the CarPlay. I have a lot of music on my phone (8,000+ songs), and the CarPlay interface allows me to aceess them quickly and reliably from the moment I start the car. The iDrive interface seems to take some time to get caught up with my music library. Also, I experienced a weird malfunction with the iDrive. I stopped by a store on the way home and when I returned to the car and started it up, it resumed the song I was playing when I shut the car off (as does CarPlay), but then it switched to another song uncommanded. Then I noticed the delay again in displaying my library correctly. I've never had a single issue like this with CarPlay. Works like a charm.
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      08-31-2018, 11:46 PM   #17
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I wish my 2015 M3 had it. I haven't had the chance to use it in a BMW, but really liked Audi's implementation. All that said though, I really like Waze, the phone would be mounted on the dash regardless.
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      09-01-2018, 08:07 AM   #18
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I have an Android, and was really upset when I found out the car only has car play and not Android auto - main reason I'd want it is for Google maps and Google play music.

However, I did try out car play, and am a bit confused about all the comments of it "completely taking over the system." I found it very quick and easy to switch between the car play and idrive interface, and use e.g. sat radio alongside it... Is there a difference between idrive versions? (I have the '18 idrive 6).
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      09-01-2018, 07:20 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Atomicchicken View Post
So I've been searching and reading as many posts and comments about BMW's integration of CarPlay and it seems the majority of you seem to think it's a waste of money. I've never had a car with it but from my understanding is that Apple CarPlay have the same interface and functions support regardless of manufactures. Basically it's just an extension of iOS and just projects the interface on the infotainment display. What's so bad with it? Do you hate it because of the way BMW handles CarPlay or is it that CarPlay itself is terrible? Could you clarify why you think it's a waste of money?

Also it seems as if from 2019 it's now a subscription based model but is there any other difference between pre and post 2019 in functionality?

Thanks
I hate CarPlay, but I use it now daily. I was one of those that said "save your money".

Here's why I hate it... it doesn't do anything (except maybe texting) better than the BMW built in apps.


The reason why CarPlay is useless, is because it doesn't even utilize the entire BMW screen! It saves this 1/3 of the screen for absolutely nothing... But if you utilize "split screen" then you can actually have your BMW map AND CarPlay active... super cool...

BUT... when you go back to your regular map - alas, your map is now in split screen with 2 duplicate maps.


It's nice that it gives me my texts as soon as they show up, and I can listen to them. It's nice that the music integrates flawlessly. But BMW does that already... just a little clunkier with Siri if you're not using CarPlay.


I loath it because it has so much potential and it's just another 'almost complete' apple product that got pushed out way too early before real users adopt it.


Also, its use with the iDrive controller could be a little more intuitive for those of us that don't have touch screens. If my iDrive allows me to scroll using the top pad, how come CarPlay doesn't?
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      09-02-2018, 06:22 AM   #20
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It's a BMW rip-off
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      09-21-2018, 04:53 PM   #21
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CarPlay gets confused often, especially when starting the car or switching between apps. I'll be listening to Spotify and it will stop playing then start playing from Apple Music instead. Or just stop playing. iPhone X here. Bluetooth also seems to cause issues, dropping parts of songs and sometimes completely stopping. Happens frequently. When another app takes over, like a text comes in, it doesn't always resume whatever app was previously being used. Or the notification stays at the top of the screen and blocks the current app. Lots of little issues that just cause frustration. But loving being able to use Waze on iPhone while playing Spotify on CarPlay, plus the new Google Maps integration is nice.
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      09-21-2018, 05:54 PM   #22
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I was just told by bmw that my 2018 M3 isn't eligible for a CarPlay upgrade. Even though it was a build option when I ordered the car.

I only want CarPlay for Waze. But if using waze and listening to xm radio at the same time isn't possible while also having easy channel change capability, it's useless to me.

I was told CarPlay can't show maps while idrive plays XM. Not sure if that's true.
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