With firmware beginning with iOS 7.1, Apple CarPlay(r) Preparation is available for all iPhone devices starting with the 5. You must have the optional additional ConnectedDrive Services, which include BMW apps, in order to utilize Apple CarPlay(r) Preparation in a BMW vehicle. Navi Professional also needs to be installed in your BMW.
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Option 1: Enabling BMW Wireless CarPlay from the factory
Because the NBT Evo head unit with ID5 or ID6 software is required, BMW Apple CarPlay compatibility is constrained. In other words, your BMW need the most recent operating system and on-board computer. Even if your car was made in 2016, 2015, or 2014 and has modern technologies, it might only have ID4 hardware or normal NBT, which is outdated head unit hardware.
If your BMW has a head unit that is suitable, BimmerTech can activate the software to make Apple CarPlay available. If your car does not already have a WiFi antenna, you might need to add one in specific circumstances to enable the establishment of a wireless connection between your iPhone and BMW head unit. If your BMW requires one, you may check here and get it from us. Contrary to BMW, BimmerTech can activate BMW CarPlay even if your nation is not listed in Apple CarPlay’s availability list if the necessary hardware is installed in your car.
Regarding the Apple CarPlay subscription, BMW confirmed in December 2019 that owners of 2019/2020 models with the most recent iDrive 7.0 software would not be required to pay any fees. Of course, that only applies to 2018 models of newer autos. A one-time $300 fee will be applied to older BMW models. However, 2020 and later BMW models are moving forward rather than backward by finally providing free BMW CarPlay.
There are still two options to upgrade your BMW if the initial BMW Apple CarPlay activation is not supported by your car.
Apple Carplay Activation in BMW
You can, indeed! You can add Apple Carplay to a number of BMW models, including the 2018 BMW x1 and 2015 BMWs.
Do you want to use the maps, music, messaging, and Siri commands from your iPhone on your iDrive device? For customers to quickly connect their phones to the iDrive unit and use the apps they have loaded on their iPhones, Apple created the software “Apple CarPlay” for automobiles. applications for calls, messaging, music, and maps. Additionally, Apple is continuously expanding the number of apps that its CarPlay software supports. The whole list of apps that are already compatible with Apple CarPlay is available on the Apple website.
When was Apple CarPlay introduced?
Your conclusion is that BMW Apple CarPlay might be beneficial for you. First of all, keep in mind that it was published in 2014. If your car is older than that, you can be sure it didn’t come with Apple CarPlay out of the box, and there probably won’t be any way to install it without installing more recent, more sophisticated technology.
Even with an outdated iDrive system like the BMW CIC, you can add Apple CarPlay to an older car with a third-party retrofit because CarPlay MMI Prime from BimmerTech is compatible with automobiles built long before CarPlay was even introduced.
BMWs are the oldest vehicles that will have the BMW CarPlay configuration operational because it was initially made available as an option from the dealer in 2016.
TUTORIAL: How to install Apple CarPlay in BMW vehicles without it out of the box
I’ll demonstrate how to install Apple CarPlay on BMW models (BMW 3 Series, 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, X3, X5, X6, X7) that didn’t have it out of the box in this video lesson.
You need to be aware that only BMW vehicles made in July 2016 and later can support Apple CarPlay (the BMW X1 did not have Apple CarPlay). Apple CarPlay can only be used with an iPhone 5, 6, 7, 8, X, 11, or 12. You can utilize iPhone apps while driving using CarPlay. You can listen to your preferred music, make calls, send and receive messages, and obtain directions.
1. To turn on the central display, press the Start/Stop Engine button.
2. Utilize the iDrive button to access Connected Drive.
3. Open the ConnectedDrive Store and prepare Apple CarPlay. From this page, you can buy Apple CarPlay for one month, one year, three years, or forever. When you’ve made up your mind to buy something, click “Next” and sign into your ConnectedDrive account to finish the transaction.
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Does Apple CarPlay Exist in BMWs? Can it also be added?
Among the most popular vehicles on the road today, BMWs are prized for their cutting-edge technology.
Apple CarPlay is one of such features. With it, you may use the BMW’s dashboard screen to access the apps on your iPhone.
Several inquiries about this function will be addressed in this article, along with information on its availability across the whole BMW lineup.
BMWs with iDrive 5 or later equipped have Apple CarPlay available. Since 2019, BMW has offered this as a free upgrade on newer vehicles equipped with iDrive 7.
One feature that many potential BMW owners find to be quite appealing is Apple CarPlay.
Continue reading to find out which BMWs support Apple CarPlay and how to add it to a BMW that doesn’t currently have it.
How do I add Apple CarPlay for nothing to my BMW?
I’d like to utilize Apple CarPlay in my BMW, but I seem to recall that it used to be somewhat expensive. Is there a way for me to obtain Apple CarPlay on my BMW for nothing?
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Yes! All of Apple CarPlay’s capabilities are available for free on your BMW. BMW will stop charging users a fee to utilize Apple CarPlay as of 2020. The service is easily downloaded and connected to your car without cost.
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Does BMW need you to purchase Apple CarPlay?
With firmware beginning with iOS 7.1, Apple CarPlay(r) Preparation is available for all iPhone devices starting with the 5. You must have the optional additional ConnectedDrive Services, which include BMW apps, in order to utilize Apple CarPlay(r) Preparation in a BMW vehicle. Navi Professional also needs to be installed in your BMW. 3 2
Can an existing vehicle be upgraded with Apple CarPlay?
It’s likely that AppleCarplay isn’t available if your vehicle is older. Fortunately, well-known third-party car stereo producers like Pioneer and Kenwood have products that are compatible with Apple CarPlay that you can immediately install in your car.
Apple CarPlay: Does a 2012 BMW have it?
The majority of “near new” or recent vehicles still feature the same or similar styling as Apple CarPlay is only available for the most recent models from automakers.
Systems with infotainment screens, but lacking Apple CarPlay functionality and unable to be updated.
Most factory infotainment systems that were released before those with Apple CarPlay capabilities lack video ports to facilitate attaching your phone.
In the case of BMW, starting in 2017, the majority of the company’s vehicles were equipped with either the iDrive 5 or the iDrive 6, both of which are regarded as iDrive NBT-EVOs and allow Apple CarPlay via download from BMW’s ConnectedDrive.
While it’s admirable that BMW offers a similar service to Mercedes Benz and Audi, Apple CarPlay is only compatible with vehicles that have the ConnectedDrive feature, which is an additional optional package that must be paid.
Additionally, ConnectedDrive appears to not be retrofittable for vehicles that have already been delivered and is only compatible with professional/business versions of iDrive (with big screen displays) with versions above iD5 and is only available for models produced after 2014 (MY15).
In spite of this, getting an Apple CarPlay or Android Auto seems to be very impossible for early F series models or vehicles that were delivered without one.
So, the issues are: Will BMW offer assistance in those situations, and will owners in those circumstances be unable to obtain one in their vehicle?
Additionally, we are now officially offering Apple CarPlay for BMW vehicles with iDrive CIC-NBT models from 2012 (MY13) to the present that do not have Apple CarPlay or EVO grade audio setup by BMW.
We offer a full retrofit type Apple CarPlay Platform into non-EVO iDrive CIC-NBT systems without modifying or removing anything from the car.
You will be able to connect your iPhone to a dedicated USB port and control with the existing iDrive Controller as a result, and Apple CarPlay will be shown on the current iDrive screen regardless of the screen size or vehicle difference.
The iDrive controller’s MENU button, when pressed and held, toggles between the Apple CarPlay mode and the iDrive radio on the screen.
And from there, you can move around, choose an app, and issue commands by button or voice with SiRi using the built-in iDrive controller.
For those of you who are reading this blog post right now, we’ll break down the advantages of having Apple CarPlay in your BMW so you can get a better understanding of what it is and how it works.
If you must use your phone while driving, at least do so through the Apple-supported vehicle audio screen, which gives you complete control over all crucial functions.
Free turn-by-turn navigation with lane assistance, real-time traffic updates, points of interest, and more with the Apple Maps / Waze GPS app.
Hands-free phone and messaging – Use Phone and iMessage to make calls and send messages without taking your hands off the wheel.
Information and assistance – Access simple cards with weather, traffic, commuter information, and more.
Bring your own music and use the built-in sound in your vehicle to listen to it.