[jtuds]

I know you don't get BMW Assist and you don't get the docking cradle.

But if you hook up your iphone in the armrest USB using the proper cable, what can you do through idrive and what can't you do?

According to BMW's website, enhanced bluetooth will strengthen your phone signal by using the roof fin to pick up the cell signal. I don't think you get that if you hook up with the cable.

But as for access to songs and voice control for calling phone contacts, do you get the same functionality with and without enhanced bluetooth?

Thanks.

[simianspeedster]

I dug into this a little before and I think the biggest difference is that the regular BT doesn't support music streaming through the car's audio system. No matter -- USB works fine. And I'm not sure about this, but I *think* you need the enhanced BT to sync phone address books and maybe some other minor smartphone oriented functions. All the basic phone functions work with the stock BT, of course.

[jtuds]

I would hope standard bluetooth will allow you to say "call home" or "call Dave Smith" as opposed to having to find the person in idrive and do it that way.

You can buy a base model Lexus IS and get voice commands to a synced iphone....hell, you get it in a ford focus and a chrysler 200....to think BMW wouldn't include that in a $60k+ vehicle, unless I pay another $950, would be frustrating...very much so.

[pcbrew]

You are confusing things.

Every US F30 has (6NH) Hands-free Bluetooth and USB audio connection.
This lets you make hands-free calls with BT and lets you plug in thumb drives & non-Apple MP3 players with USB mass-storage mode support and play compressed audio files from them.

Without enhanced BT/USB you will need a special Y-connector cable to work an iphone. You will not have album art. You will have control over your iphone through idrive, though the layout is a bit different. Audio files are decoded on the ipod and played through the headphone jack thru Y-cable to aux-in.


Enhanced Bluetooth is a by-product of getting BMW Assist, which is like BMW's On-Star system. See these pdfs for more info.
http://cache.bmwusa.com/pdf_c391eba0...a-749bf176e325
http://cache.bmwusa.com/pdf_80116384...4-a5ac361470f2
You get hardware (a combox) that has a cellular modem, GPS, and better Bluetooth and USB than what comes standard. You also get a 4 year subscription to the safety services described in the PDF.

• Automatic Collision Notification
• Emergency Request
• Enhanced Roadside Assistance
• MyInfo
• Stolen Vehicle Recovery
• Door Unlock
• Customer Relations
• TeleService

With the Assist hardware, you also get the enhanced BT and USB. The only benefit of enhanced BT that I know of is you get A2DP profile for wireless stereo audio streaming via BT.

With enhanced USB, you get basic iPhone/ipod integration to be able to browse songs and see album art and pulled digital files to the head unit for decoding.

BMW Apps is needed for full iphone/ipod integration and I believe this is also required to make use of the snap-in adapters. The ONLY way to make use of the sharkfin with iphone is with the adapter as it requires a special physical connection to the antenna port. This is not accessible via USB or bluetooth.

Also, the adapters are a $200 - $250 extra cost accessory.

[jtuds]

OK thanks. I'm gonna check those files.

As long as I can scan the iphone music on idrive and call a contact with voice commands, I'm good. So if I understand you I can do that without enhanced bluetooth.

You're saying the Y adapter is 250 bucks?

[ric124]

you will also be able to use the MyBMW remote app with the BMW assist

[pcbrew]

Originally Posted by jtuds

You're saying the Y adapter is 250 bucks?

The snap-in adapter is $250.

The Y-cable is ~$25. Look on Amazon or e-bay as BMW does not supply these anymore. Maybe can get one from BMW but will probably be 2x that.

[jtuds]

And with a y-adapter I'll be able to scan my laylists with idrive and use voice commands to call contacts?

[raleedy]

You should keep your laylists in your little black book.

[json]

Originally Posted by raleedy

You should keep your laylists in your little black book.

Hahahaha!!!