iOS 8 and BMW iDrive connectivity issues

Apple are not going to fix this. They see it as the motor car industries responsibility to update their devices when Apple fail to plan, test, communicate or even acknowledge a problem.

From a recent Apple support case on this:

"I understand, I certainly would love to fix this for you. The only thing I can do from my end is to give you the information that I have available, and the only way to fix this is to upgrade the software in the car to catch up to the software on the smartphone."

Update your car if you can and you might be ok until Apple break it again.

Best of luck and complain here https://www.apple.com/feedback/

I have a similar problem with iPhone 6 and OS 8.0.2. My older iPhone 5 and OS 7.1 had no problems. I am not using ConnectedDrive USB, but the legacy 30pin interface w/ lightning to 30pin accessory, tied with the BMW supplied Y-cable with my MY2010 CIC equipped vehicle.

I can't start / stop playback or play a track listed. It is actually listing the tracks out though. The play button works okay on the iPhone directly.

Tried unplugging / replugging phone, adapter, restarting CIC headunit (holding volume for 20 seconds), switching inputs, killing all apps. Only thing that seems to temporarily resolve it is hard restart of phone.

Same issue here. Won't play or change tracks via USB or Enhanced BT (6NS), unless I manually control it from the phone itself. Super annoying. Has anyone gone to a BMW dealer to see if they can offer a fix? (although it should really by Apple fixing this issue).

Rebooting only fixes the problem temporarily. I have rebooted my iPhone 6 many times and the issue always comes back.

Really frustrating that a high end phone and a high end automobile can be screwed up by a FW update for months because neither Apple or BMW can be bothered to fix the issue in a reasonable amount of time.

I've had it with iDrive.. last update to either BT compatibility or iDrive itself was almost 2 years ago which is ridiculous for a 2.5 year old $51,000 car. Next car will have Apple Carplay and hopefully these issues when using my iPhone will be much rarer occurrences.

You would give up a BMW over this complication? I drive a 2012 X5 50i and appreciate BMW's preoccupation with building an incredible vehicle and worry less about it keeping up with all my electronic needs as it can never keep pace with all my devices and iOS updates.

Absolutely YES! If Mercedes or Audi get there first, brand loyalty to BMW is not going to keep me around. Frankly iDrive, being the primary part of a $2600 option on cars should be embarrassing considering what a $500 smart phone or tablet are capable of.

Auto makers have done this to themselves by refusing to keep up with technology or make their tech systems user upgradable with new hardware. The entire point of a system like Apple Carplay is that as long as the car is Carplay compatible the Apple delivered features should work indefinitely, and not get broken every time there is a new iOS update.

I've struggled with my 2013 328 iDrive and Apple device connectivity for over a year. I've had connectivity issues with the iPhone 5s and now the 6 since I got the latter late September. This was an issue with iOS7 and now is an issue with iOS 8. I update my operating system and apps regularly.

Essentially, the issue is that iDrive stops play every 5 min or so when playing any audio app - podcasts, iTunes, Spotify, Audible. I have to hit the iDrive every 5 minutes to play audio again. What a nuisance.

I use the BMW-supplied audio cables and Apple lightning port adapter. I visited my local BMW dealer a few days ago, and they printed me a list of which Apple devices were compatible with iDrive - the list did not contain the 5s and 6 and the last firmware update was in May 2013. Unacceptable.

I am asking a basic question because I simply do not remember, but how much of what you seek can be done using BT rather than the cable?

I used the cable at first but found it a distraction with little added benefit. So I depend on BT which works fine for playing music (primarily iTunes) from my iP6. This is especially important to me because although I run a V1, I also run a Max (local) or RL (open road) with EL and I like the fact that Ka/K/lidar alerts interrupt the music and can be heard through my speakers.

Wow! That is disappointing! I am having issues with my iPhone 6 too! Static in Bluetooth and having to manually operate music from my phone versis idrive. Have you contacted BMW customer relations? I was going to go to my dealer but it sounds like a waste of time! I agree... Unacceptable!

I shared this thread on a couple of BMW forums seeking a solution hoping to clarify how much of the problem is BMW or Apple.

I think static in the speakers was worse for me when I had an iP5S with an earlier iOS, but I don't remember if it was iOS 6 or 7.

Now with an iP6 8.1.1., if I happen to manually stop iTunes music when not connected to my X5 BT then I have to manually restart music on the iP as the iDrive just hangs searching for unidentified music.

My radio does not have BT streaming functionality - I wish it did. In fact, the sales person stated the sound system had BT so I assumed it would stream. No such luck - I can only make/take calls via BT via the sound system. No music.

I have posted my concern on BMW's FB page. They responded, said that their system is compatible with iPhone and that's that. The reality is, that if you dig deep enough with their dealer the truth comes out ie. BMW vehicles (apparently in Canada but not in the US) are not 'officially' compatible with iOS7 and iOS8 and with iPhone 5s and iPhone 6. In fact, the service rep at BMW Mississauga printed me an official list of which smartphones are supported by BMW vehicles.

I suggest going to your local BMW dealer and raising a stink too. If you want me to email you the list above, send me a request to peter.rozanec@gmail.com - hopefully more of us can band together and make changes....

With BT you have lower sound quality and lose access to all app functionality while driving such as Pandora. Also, you aren't charging the battery while driving which is a problem for those of us with long commutes.

BMW 320i, iPhone 5s, ios8.xx (always using latest official version). Same problem again and again. It worked fine several weeks and today again broke down!. Trying to play music via USB, music is selected but it does not play, I have to press play in the iphone. For some reason what works for several weeks is this: in iphone reset network settings. I know this is nothing related to the "network" (nor bluetooth, nor wifi, no 3g, etc.) but it DOES work for several weeks but I avoid using the steering wheel control (so far I think it has something to do with the problem). I only use the iDrive control in the armrest area and if I stick to it, it works perfectly fine. There is some action that breaks it, my candidates are: "activating the random selection" (or what ever is called) in the car menu or selecting songs via the steering wheel control, also today I found an old post about having both iphone and car shuffle mode active at the same time. Unbelievable that nobody at apple uses BMWs connected via usb... Don't they use their products in bmws?????. USB lets me charge the phone, listen to higher quality music (compared to BT), have a nice display with album art in the car screen, see the name of the upcoming songs, playlists, etc. My 15k use suzuki swift has usb and my iphone works perfect every time!!!!.

From my experience using iPhone 5C on iOS7 , iPhone 6 Plus iOS8 in either a 2012 X3 (with added USB functionality) or a 2012 320d (with BMW iphone 5 cable), I get constant issues with the iOS8 device in either car. I have visibility of songs and playlists etc and like you music will not play or change tracks unless the phone is pressed or asking Siri (nicely) to play music. On iOS7 I get no such issues. A hard reset sometimes fixes the issue but resorting to the radio is the only way to constantly play music! For Apple to hold music at the centre of its operating system and culture I find it strange that these threads continue for so long without official comment. I am also surprised that for people willing to upgrade their devices we seem to be disadvantaged vs. laggards that stay old technology. For what it's worth I have also had problems in a Volvo XC70 hirecar using a new iPhone 5 3 months after release , resorting to a 5 year old iPod touch. In summary I believe the issue is iOS related and look forward to another update of iOS shortly. Keep driving your ride , don't trade yet!

I have the same issue, USB connected iPhone with IOS8 and unable to select songs via iDrive or navigate via the steering wheel controls. Reboot the phone and it works for a while, then reoccurs.

BMW 320d MY11.

I'm blaming Apple.