[mgnmpl]

Hello everyone.

I wonder what’s the current status of your CarPlay? Is it working without any issues? Please provide your phone model and iDrive version.

I’m on July version of the software (07/2019.5x) and I’m using iPhone X.

For me it usually works but occasionally the connection drops for seconds. I can’t figure it out how. For sure changing the setting on my iPhone to NOT download apps updates automatically helped but it still isn’t perfect.

I wrote in another thread that when I was using my WiFi hotspot trial period I think it worked much better (no connections drops). Now I’ve subscribed for one paid month with T-Mobile to check if it will confirm the difference.

This week I bought for my wife new 530i and she has I believe even worse issues (like we did have early in 2019) with her car. The problem is I can’t even find there her software version.

What is your status?

[randybobandy]

Does the 530i have ID6? I figured that might be the only reason it's not easy to find the SW version.

For me, CarPlay works fine. The only issue I have is the song list doesn't always show up in the HUD/Instrument Cluster (depending on your setting) when using the scroll wheel on the wheel. Other than that, it connects 99.99% of the time and does not cut out.

[mgnmpl]

No, 530 is iDrive 7 but in general settings there is no “update” option where I could check the version.

Do you use WiFi hotspot in your car?
I’m pretty sure that when it’s on then there are not drops. And the drops are like very short. It’s not that the CarPlay is disconnecting at all. Just the music cuts from time to time. I believe it happens more often when I’m in an areas of low range of cellular network. But it’s not that the phone can’t stream the music because it happens also if I’m listening to downloaded music.

Additionally, usually CarPlay works much better when the phone is on passenger seat or on charging tray. If I keep it in my left pocket the drops happen more often. But now when I use WiFi hotspot it works wherever it is.

[randybobandy]

Originally Posted by mgnmpl

No, 530 is iDrive 7 but in general settings there is no “update” option where I could check the version.

Do you use WiFi hotspot in your car?
I’m pretty sure that when it’s on then there are not drops. And the drops are like very short. It’s not that the CarPlay is disconnecting at all. Just the music cuts from time to time. I believe it happens more often when I’m in an areas of low range of cellular network. But it’s not that the phone can’t stream the music because it happens also if I’m listening to downloaded music.

Additionally, usually CarPlay works much better when the phone is on passenger seat or on charging tray. If I keep it in my left pocket the drops happen more often. But now when I use WiFi hotspot it works wherever it is.

Interesting...are you on 11/2019.40? I noticed after upgrading from July S/W versions, there is a slight cut out in music from time to time. CarPlay requires a bluetooth and wifi connection. When the electronics in the car turn on, if you have CarPlay as your device's connection...the the phone communicates with the car via Bluetooth, then hands off to wifi once the connection is established. I think there was a discussion on here about placing the phone in the charging tray allows for the LTE booster to be used? Someone else can probably speak to that, as I am not too sure.

If you're getting a quick cut in and out of audio on the above version, you're not alone. I thought it was weird too, since that only seems to happen on bluetooth. I didnt have that before, but when the audio cut out, the entire phone seemed to disconnect and required me going through some menus to get it back on.

[mgnmpl]

I’m using paid WiFi subscription for couple of days now. Now cuts whatsoever. It works perfectly.

I think there might be a problem on the phone side that when it’s using a WiFi (but without subscription to a provider), it has to use cellular network at the same time to connect to the internet (because WiFi is used only for CarPlay). I believe iPhone have a problem to handle that.

If the whole connection is done through WiFi (with the car AND internet) it’s better handled by the phone. We all blamed BMW but I think most of CarPlay issues are Apple issues.

[randybobandy]

I'm confused...so your iPhone is not cutting out when using the paid wifi hotspot? the culprit might be hard to identify, since the wifi is going to be handled differently (at least how I would believe).

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but if you're using the wifi hotspot...the car's cellular connection provides the connection for the hotspot. Now in the car, the devices will connect to the car's wifi. so CarPlay has nothing to do with the hotspot, but instead the car's wifi. the cellular connection on your iPhone to execute functions such as Siri and streaming, come from the phone and not the hotspot. it might be a function with the phone...which iPhone are you using?

[randybobandy]

https://ww.9to5mac.com/2020/01/22/ip...eless-carplay/

[mgnmpl]

Originally Posted by randybobandy

. the cellular connection on your iPhone to execute functions such as Siri and streaming, come from the phone and not the hotspot. it might be a function with the phone...which iPhone are you using?

No, when you use WiFi hotspot in the car, your phone treats it as a typical WiFi network and just uses that connection for internet. So when I’m streaming it uses the cars cellular, not phones cellular. That’s what your paying for after all.

[randybobandy]

It does not. These are two different things. I do not have the WiFi Hotspot, yet I am able to stream and use Siri. The hotspot is similar to your home wifi in that it allows non-cellular devices to connect. The Hotspot uses the vehicle's cellular capabilities to provide the hotspot, which is similar to how your phone would act as a wifi hotspot.

CarPlay connects via Bluetooth to establish an initial connection. Once the iPhone and the vehicle recognize each other, the phone connects to the vehicle's wifi to establish a connection. This has nothing to do with a hotspot. Look up AirPlay 2...it uses wifi to stream and connect devices. This allows for a "better" connection, as it allows for a lossless audio source unlike Bluetooth. With Bluetooth LE on the horizon, which allows for lossless audio among other things, things may change.

But at the end of the day, if you're paying for the WiFi hotspot monthly under the impression that you need this for CarPlay...you are getting fleeced. The phone's cellular connection allows for streaming, Siri, and iMessage and pushes it either through bluetooth connection or CarPlay (which connects via Wifi). The iPhone only utilizes the in-car WiFi to communicate. See below:

Wireless CarPlay has three requirements, a Bluetooth connection, a Wi-Fi access point, and location data. Here’s is a simplified breakdown of the entire process:

To initialize the connection the phone uses Bluetooth to send a signal to the head unit requesting to connect.
Once the Bluetooth connection is made the phone will request wireless credentials to the Wi-Fi access point.
Upon confirmation the head unit will send the wireless credentials to the iPhone, which will cause the phone to search and join the Wi-Fi access point.
After the Wi-Fi connection has been established, the Bluetooth signal will disconnect and all audio and video will be transferred over Wi-Fi.
And now you’re set, you now can use CarPlay wirelessly.

Apple CarPlay itself does not use any data from your cell plan, the apps you use will. So if you normally use your phone for navigation or streaming music you’ll use the same amount of data as before.

[mgnmpl]

I’ve never said that that I need a WiFi hotspot to use CarPlay. I’m just saying that if use that (I’m paying for this feature to T-mobile) then my CarPlay works better.

I am aware that I can use phones cellular to stream music (if I didn’t pay a monthly fee to T-Mobile) but then again, that is the case when I experience the cuts in music.

I do not agree with you in the part where you say (as far as I understood what you’re saying) that when I pay for the WiFi hotspot (meaning I’m paying T-Mobile for the cellular internet package of 5GB in my case) I’m still using my phones cellular for internet access at the same time. I’m saying that if you have a Paid T-Mobile service in your car, the car works as an access point for your phone. You don’t use your phone cellular anymore because you use WiFi for internet connection (exactly like with every other WiFi you’re using). And now, I’m using my 5GB of cars cellular package, not my phones any more.

[mgnmpl]

BTW, if you believe that the phone would still use it’s cellular for internet access while it would be connected to the cars WiFi hotspot (with paid subscription) then please could you explain me what do you think that subscription would be for?

And as an example or maybe a proof of what I’m saying. Once my trial period ended I lost any connection with the internet on my phone. My streams stopped, my google maps stopped working. I couldn’t use the internet on my phone because the WiFi it was connected to (cars hotspot) lost the subscription to the internet.

Of course the car did have the internet connection (because of connected drive) but it couldn’t share it’s connection with my phone anymore.

I had to change the phones settings on my iDdrive to “not share the internet access” - so the phone still could use the WiFi connection but it didn’t treat that connection as internet access.

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by mgnmpl

BTW, if you believe that the phone would still use it’s cellular for internet access while it would be connected to the cars WiFi hotspot (with paid subscription) then please could you explain me what do you think that subscription would be for?

And as an example or maybe a proof of what I’m saying. Once my trial period ended I lost any connection with the internet on my phone. My streams stopped, my google maps stopped working. I couldn’t use the internet on my phone because the WiFi it was connected to (cars hotspot) lost the subscription to the internet.

Of course the car did have the internet connection (because of connected drive) but it couldn’t share it’s connection with my phone anymore.

I had to change the phones settings on my iDdrive to “not share the internet access” - so the phone still could use the WiFi connection but it didn’t treat that connection as internet access.

I think he's referring to if you're using wireless CarPlay. It's my understanding that you cannot use WiFi and be connected to wireless CarPlay at the same time. When you use wireless carplay, you're using a wifi connection to communicate with the car - this wifi connection is different than the one you setup in your hotspot. It would show something like BMW07467 when you're connected to wireless CarPlay.

[mgnmpl]

In the G05 you can use only wireless CarPlay. There is wired option.

And yes, it uses the same connection for both CarPlay and internet (internet ONLY if you have paid a subscription fee).

If you did not buy the subscription then it uses WiFi for CarPlay and phones cellular for internet - and that’s the scenario when it cuts my music.

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by mgnmpl

In the G05 you can use only wireless CarPlay. There is wired option.

And yes, it uses the same connection for both CarPlay and internet (internet ONLY if you have paid a subscription fee).

If you did not buy the subscription then it uses WiFi for CarPlay and phones cellular for internet - and that’s the scenario when it cuts my music.

So when you're connected to wireless car play and pick up your phone, the phones WiFi will say connected to whatever you named your hotspot, and not "Direct BMW####"?

[mgnmpl]

I’m sorry, I don’t remember the name of the connection.

I will do the test tomorrow. I will turn off my phones cellular and leave only BT and WiFi. If your right guys I won’t have access to the internet.

I’m saying I will have access.

VTENGER - what do you think them Im paying for to T-Mobile then?

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by mgnmpl

I’m sorry, I don’t remember the name of the connection.

I will do the test tomorrow. I will turn off my phones cellular and leave only BT and WiFi. If your right guys I won’t have access to the internet.

I’m saying I will have access.

VTENGER - what do you think them Im paying for to T-Mobile then?

You're paying T-Mobile to offer internet access to other devices who want to use WiFi vs cell data, or if you have devices that only work on WiFi - like iPads, etc.

I could be wrong, but I just figured that since I can't be connected to my home wifi (while i'm in the garage) and to wireless carplay at the same time, then it would work the same for the wifi hotspot and wireless carplay.

I also assumed, but maybe I'm wrong, that I can't setup my phone as a hotspot and also be connected via wireless carplay. I'm going to experiment on that when I get home.

[mgnmpl]

VTENGR - then why is T-Mobile saying that I’ve already used 300mb of 5GB plan if the only device connected to cars WiFi is my phone?

I’m not sure why you see a problem. CarPlay is an app, just that. It can use the exact same WiFi connection that is used for the internet. Why do you see problem here? If you connect to your home WiFi your not restricted to use Netflix only right? Your access point manage your kids games, your Netflix and all other apps at the same time right? Why do you think car can’t handle CarPlay and other stuff on the same connection?

[mgnmpl]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

I also assumed, but maybe I'm wrong, that I can't setup my phone as a hotspot and also be connected via wireless carplay. I'm going to experiment on that when I get home.

I’m not sure if I’m following you here. It’s not the phone that is creating the hotspot. It’s the car that is a hotspot and the phone is using it.

If you just use CarPlay your phone is using WiFi just for that. But if the car becomes hotspot, phone uses WiFi for CarPlay and internet (which is nothing spectacular as I mentioned in my earlier post)

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by mgnmpl

I’m not sure if I’m following you here. It’s not the phone that is creating the hotspot. It’s the car that is a hotspot and the phone is using it.

If you just use CarPlay your phone is using WiFi just for that. But if the car becomes hotspot, phone uses WiFi for CarPlay and internet (which is nothing spectacular as I mentioned in my earlier post)

When I'm connected to car play my iPhone shows a direct connection to the car... See the pic. The cars wifi Hotspot has a different name. So what I'm saying is how can the iPhone be connected to both at the same time? I didn't think this was possible.

[randybobandy]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

When I'm connected to car play my iPhone shows a direct connection to the car... See the pic. The cars wifi Hotspot has a different name. So what I'm saying is how can the iPhone be connected to both at the same time? I didn't think this was possible.

This is correct. You are connected to the WiFi in a send that it’s delivering the CarPlay data over the WiFi. It’s the same concept as Bluetooth. You use your BT connection in conjunction with your cellular data. The cell is providing the outside connection to the phone. Then the Bluetooth is delivering the data from the phone and output through the vehicle. CarPlay is the same, excel it uses BT for an initial connection then cuts and uses WiFi. The hotspot name does not have “DIRECT xxxxxx”, since they’re two different things.

I have no idea what the 300MB he used would be.

[randybobandy]

Originally Posted by mgnmpl

I’m not sure if I’m following you here. It’s not the phone that is creating the hotspot. It’s the car that is a hotspot and the phone is using it.

If you just use CarPlay your phone is using WiFi just for that. But if the car becomes hotspot, phone uses WiFi for CarPlay and internet (which is nothing spectacular as I mentioned in my earlier post)

These are two different things, and you’ve just stated it. If you connect to the car’s hotspot, then you’re doing the same thing you would at your home.

As I stated before...the car communicates with your iPhone via Bluetooth initially. Once it recognizes the CarPlay connection, they handoff to WiFi. You are not using a hotspot for CarPlay, it is your phone data. I do not have a paid hotspot for my vehicle and use CarPlay. CarPlay does not transmit data via Bluetooth, since Apple utilizes AirPlay. AirPlay is a WiFi driven connection. This allows for a lossless transmission of audio.

I hate to say it, but if you were sold the hotspot under the impression it was needed for CarPlay...you got played. Again, check the two WiFi names. They’re different.

[angusclark]

I've been told it's a global issue, i took mine in to BMW Melbourne last week and it took them a couple of hours to resolve post an update.