iOS 13 Apple Music and BMW's iDrive problems

I twitted https://twitter.com/vijghenp/status/1180454159922929664?s=20

For the ones who did not spot my earlier post: there is a work-around that you can consider using if (and only if) you have an apple watch from which you would then start playing the *iphone* playlist. It is a bit tedious but you can do it before starting your car driving journey and they get back control from the wheel while you drive.

I did try this, I can regain control of my music wirelessly only by controlling with my Apple Watch, but unfortunately the issue still persists on my BMW iDrive, it doesn't seem to make any difference through the car. Thanks for the update though!

My BMW i3 has the same issue with my iPhone XR and iOS 13.1.2, Bluetooth or USB connected. I tried my sons iPhone X with iOS 12 and it works fine. I updated my i3 to it's latest software, and problem still persists. There was nothing new I needed from iOS 13. So, a big step backward for me. Adding complexity to my life at the cost of pleasure. Apple used to be applauded for the opposite.

@Jas-Singh93

If you *start* playing any given playlist from your Apple Watch, you should regain remote control of the specific track you want to plan of that playlist from the iDrive. But the IOS13.1+ issue will reappear on your iDrive you choose another playlist from the iDrive. The point is to start from the watch at anytime change playlist.

At least this is what I experience on our two BMWs.

So, if you drive a high end import, and want to listen to your own music, in your own way, you can't do it with out looking at your iphone while driving.

And, in this discussion, the only answers seem to be; buy an Apple watch and stop the car when changing playlists, or listen to Apples music with Apple Music, Apples way. This doesn't sound like a problem for Apple. It should increase sales for a bit for Apple Music and maybe even Watches. And the problem was pointed out with 13.1.1 . So, "reporting" the problem didn't help much.

Another answer is to spend hours, or days restoring your iphone to iOS 12 and your backed up iTunes files. I'm pretty sure the folks at Apple know a lot of us will spend money to get out of that.

I could just drive my aging Scion. The steering wheel song selector works fine with iOS 13, and the sound is actually pretty good. But it is certainly not as nice and comfortable as the BMW.

It's sounding more like it could be a problem of demographics, not a programming error.

@roxan

Ahh I see, I’ll certainly give this a try, thank you!

@i3BMW47

Given the diversity of car manufacturers affected, I believe it’s more of a change in Apple’s software and causing some kind of conflict or incompatibility. A quick browse through this forum and I can see at least four vehicle brands/systems affected (BMW, Audi, Honda & Hyundai). Sorry if I’ve missed any. I can’t imagine these cars use exactly the same base interface.

I’m glad I’m not the only one that has this issue, however I don’t use Bluetooth, just have my phone connected via a lightning cable.

I can confirm that iOS 13.0 didn’t experience the problem, I tried two phones with 13.0 and could go to previous and next track in a playlist. I upgraded to 13.1 and the issue did then occur. I upgraded to 13.1.1, still there, the same is true with 13.1.2.

i have tried the first 13.2 beta and it is also present there as well.

i should also point out that I don’t have a BMW, so this problem isn’t specific to just one car brand.

This Thread should be renamed, to „IOS 13 apple music playlist problem with various car brands“. This would make it easier for other car brand owners with the same problem finding this thread over a searching engine. I’m sure a Volvo driver won’t go to this thread thinking that it deals with a BMW only problem. The more people post here the more attendance it may gets from apple’s side.

Hi, you can easily downgrade to iOS 13.0 without any data loss with IMyPhone Fixppo. Easy just like make an update. You can do it even with iTunes but you have to format and restore is not so easy because iTunes lets you restore a backup if you have the same software version of iOS. If you make a backup with iOS 13.1.x you can't restore it on iOS 13.0 bacause iTunes will ask you to update before restoring.

Just checked out the iOS 13.2 Public Beta - it’s still not working with playlists and steering wheel controls in my 2016 Mini Cooper S (F55, EntryNav). Centre console skip buttons continue to work fine, and this behaviour is the same using both Bluetooth or USB.

Following on from my initial post with the playlist issue on my 17’ F87 M2, there is now also an issue with recent contacts not showing in my contacts list. Only their phone numbers are showing under recent contacts and when you look in the contacts list using the main MMI, the contacts are missing all together but still show correctly when I look on my iPhone.

Disconnected and reconnected my phone from the car and it worked for all of about 2 minutes before doing the same thing. Anyone else having this issue since iOS 13?

Still currently running 13.1.2 and the latest idrive software, might have to restore the old iOS if this carries on.

Same problem here in Germany. iOS13 is the worst release so far, even worse than iOS8

... when you think about it.. it is quite dangerous now to change songs using the watch or the phone while driving. Not really what Apple wants us to do, right? :P

Well I've just tweeted a link to this thread as Apple can't even be bothered to acknowledge my support request. Never have O had such poor service from Apple. Maybe time to get rid of the iPhone and get an Android. Can't even stream Spotify to the car. Some kind of acknowledgement from Apple would at least let users know it's being looked into.

I have the same exact issue in my 2017 Mini Cooper S, which also uses iDrive. When I try to advance a track, the new track shows in the speedo display with a checkmark, then briefly on the main display, as you said, but then the same song continues playing. I can at least skip tracks with the buttons on the head unit. It worked for 3 years and 3 different iPhones, until this update.

Got a new ‘19 BMW X3 last Friday and enjoyed full playlist functionality with my iPhone X just for ONE DAY before yet another unwanted iOS updated was rammed down my digital throat overnight on Friday only to leave me with the lost, previously daily-used and enjoyed functionality, on Saturday. Like others, I can scroll down through a playlist like my “Recently Played” play list with the HUD or iDrive wheel and click on a song which then only momentarily shows a check mark in front of it before restarting the song that was already playing. Apple, can you do your security upgrades without screwing around with other things that aren’t broken and creating extra steps to complete what was once a simpler task? And maybe read your own forums and address your customers’ concerns??