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      10-05-2017, 07:28 AM   #1
RoShambolt
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Car play/Spotify woes

This has never been right since I collected the car, the phone connects and I get all menus and controls. Shows track data on screen, however no sound comes from the car(track is progressing time wise), I’ve tried resetting my phone, re pairing the phone to the car, we th no luck.

I have a fairly short journey to work and initially it would connect and work 60% or the time. Lately it’s barely useable, only works correctly 20% of the time. All phone software is up to date and the car was new in March this year. I have an iPhone 6 that works perfectly with everything else. Spotify on sonos etc.

I know others have had issues with Spotify on the BMW interface also, does anyone know of any issues relating to this or have similar problems. Considering it was a few hundred pounds as an option it’s not fit for purpose as it stands.
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      10-05-2017, 07:30 AM   #2
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Just making sure, is the volume on the phone turned up?

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Originally Posted by RoShambolt View Post
This has never been right since I collected the car, the phone connects and I get all menus and controls. Shows track data on screen, however no sound comes from the car(track is progressing time wise), I’ve tried resetting my phone, re pairing the phone to the car, we th no luck.

I have a fairly short journey to work and initially it would connect and work 60% or the time. Lately it’s barely useable, only works correctly 20% of the time. All phone software is up to date and the car was new in March this year. I have an iPhone 6 that works perfectly with everything else. Spotify on sonos etc.

I know others have had issues with Spotify on the BMW interface also, does anyone know of any issues relating to this or have similar problems. Considering it was a few hundred pounds as an option it’s not fit for purpose as it stands.
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      10-05-2017, 07:40 AM   #3
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Have you installed the BMW connected drive app on your phone ?
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      10-05-2017, 07:40 AM   #4
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Yeah, via BT you need to sort the volume on the phone, via USB it's all via the head unit.
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      10-05-2017, 11:38 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vp View Post
Just making sure, is the volume on the phone turned up?
Yes this was one of the first things I checked, however I must admit I wasn’t aware of what moff has mentioned, I thought all volume control was through the head unit.
I discounted the volume thing early on when looking for causes.
I only tend to use Bluetooth for music, usb only when charging.
A valid question though considering there is a difference between BT and USB.

Things I have noticed:
If it fails to play sound but everything else works like track info and track progression, If I select nav on the idrive, it goes to nav, then if I go back to media it’s like it looks again and finds it, all this without touching the volume, it will then play the sound. I have also done this by going from playlist to radio in Spotify. It seems to “find” the sound when changing menu selection.

The other day it had no sound, I paused it as I was fed up with the track playing with no sound, after ten mins I selected play again and it started playing the tracks in my playlist on Spotify, BUT it was very poor sound and playing at x2 speed like a 2001 garage track!

I’m pretty confident that my phone is ok as it always works seamlessly with my sonos system and my Bluetooth speaker in the kitchen.

It’s been leaving me a bit peeved every morning as I drive to work, the silence seems to gently irritate me before the start of each day and I’ve even stepped foot in work.

Thanks for the info so far everyone, I’m hoping someone has had a similar problem that’s either been found to be the phone or the car.
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      10-05-2017, 11:59 AM   #6
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Ive had similar experience when using Spotify. When I get this issue I switch device using Idrive, I also have an iPod connected. Once I switch back to my phone and spoitfy and it seems to fix it.
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      10-05-2017, 12:06 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Southern Jay View Post
Ive had similar experience when using Spotify. When I get this issue I switch device using Idrive, I also have an iPod connected. Once I switch back to my phone and spoitfy and it seems to fix it.
Yeah that’s exactly it, the reason I have ended up creating this thread is that this seems to no longer be a fix, where as it would always kick it into life it now only works as a fix 10% of the time. I really would love to know if I need to be speaking to BMW about this or looking at my phone. It’s a pain because I can’t really play with it as I am driving when it does this.

Although I’d rather not, I might have to sign up to iTunes and see how that does. It’s probably some background code that Apple imbedded in the CarPlay platform, so people end up cancelling Spotify and using iTunes. Conspiracy theory.🤔
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      10-05-2017, 04:41 PM   #8
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Mine started to do exactly the same this morning... normally I get in my car, Bluetooth connects on its own and Spotify starts playing the last song that was on. This morning was a combination of Spotify loading and the track progressing but no sound through the car, or Spotify not showing on the car at all and no track information through the normal bluetooth source, or Spotify showing up but all screens and controls blank

I?m using an iOS 11 iPhone 7 with a 2017 4 series LCI, my phone too works normally with Spotify and Sonos etc.

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      10-05-2017, 05:17 PM   #9
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Force quit the app and try launch it again and place music.
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      10-06-2017, 03:14 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vp View Post
Force quit the app and try launch it again and place music.
Tried that too. Only for it to fail once I got back in the car, this morning had the same old thing happen, silence all the way to work, parked up and before I shut down or got out I got my phone and unlocked it, opened the Spotify app that was already running in th back ground. Sound came straight through the speakers without touching the car or any menus in Spotify . It seems to be an issue with Spotify not fully syncing when car play handshakes the phone on start up. I will join iTunes today to see if it has the same issue.
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      10-06-2017, 03:28 AM   #11
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This has to be an iDrive software issue.

I didn't have Apple Car Play previously but the issues you describe are exactly how my Spotify used to work (2013 335d) - I ended up having a little routine to make it work; connect, start playing, switch to radio then back to Spotify.

It was annoying but worked.

Then I got the X5 and bought Online Entertainment - a revelation with no further issues.

Now I have the M3 which came with Apple Car Play - everything works seamlessly and I question the need to pay for Online Entertainment in the new car. I prefer Apple Music and can now make it work really well.

Given that my new car works so well, perhaps a software update by the dealer is your solution?
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      10-06-2017, 04:15 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkG_M3CP View Post
This has to be an iDrive software issue.

I didn't have Apple Car Play previously but the issues you describe are exactly how my Spotify used to work (2013 335d) - I ended up having a little routine to make it work; connect, start playing, switch to radio then back to Spotify.

It was annoying but worked.

Then I got the X5 and bought Online Entertainment - a revelation with no further issues.

Now I have the M3 which came with Apple Car Play - everything works seamlessly and I question the need to pay for Online Entertainment in the new car. I prefer Apple Music and can now make it work really well.

Given that my new car works so well, perhaps a software update by the dealer is your solution?
This is interesting, so you were using Spotify in the 335d and had these issues, in the M3 you say you prefer Apple Music, is that what you are using with no problems? Have you used Spotify at all in the M3 with apple play?

On another note, is the data used for the online entertainment provided by the car or your phone? I heard it is limited to deezer and Napster?

Thanks for the reply. I will be asking about software for a few things, had the idrive screen “no input” screen and the collision warning system failure a couple of times, all software related too hopefully.

Last edited by RoShambolt; 10-06-2017 at 05:00 AM..
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      10-06-2017, 05:22 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve_M_Sport View Post
Have you installed the BMW connected drive app on your phone ?
Yes it’s also on the phone.
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      10-06-2017, 05:23 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RoShambolt View Post
This is interesting, so you were using Spotify in the 335d and had these issues, in the M3 you say you prefer Apple Music, is that what you are using with no problems? Have you used Spotify at all in the M3 with apple play?

On another note, is the data used for the online entertainment provided by the car or your phone? I heard it is limited to deezer and Napster?

Thanks for the reply. I will be asking about software for a few things, had the idrive screen “no input” screen and the collision warning system failure a couple of times, all software related too hopefully.
Yes, Spotify had the issues in the 335.

Yes, in the M3 I am using Apple Music perfectly (my daughters use Apple music and I have a family subscription, so if I can avoid another subscription for the car then I'm happy).

No, not used Spotify in the M3 (don't have a subscription any more) but have used Deezer and Amazon Prime Music (which I have subscriptions for) and ALL work just fine.

Yes, Online Entertainment is limited to Deezer and Napster but on the upside, data is via the car's 4G card so it can be used without having a phone in the car. Although I have to say, in the X5 using Deezer, the internet connection was frequently offline (every couple of weeks for a day). Not a huge problem but a little annoying.
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      10-06-2017, 07:28 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkG_M3CP View Post
Yes, Spotify had the issues in the 335.

Yes, in the M3 I am using Apple Music perfectly (my daughters use Apple music and I have a family subscription, so if I can avoid another subscription for the car then I'm happy).

No, not used Spotify in the M3 (don't have a subscription any more) but have used Deezer and Amazon Prime Music (which I have subscriptions for) and ALL work just fine.

Yes, Online Entertainment is limited to Deezer and Napster but on the upside, data is via the car's 4G card so it can be used without having a phone in the car. Although I have to say, in the X5 using Deezer, the internet connection was frequently offline (every couple of weeks for a day). Not a huge problem but a little annoying.
Thanks for the info, it’s a shame that Spotify is so glitchy as I like the track suggestion side, it’s seems to be very good at finding music that I like going by what I already listen to. But not good enough to put up with the endless failures. I will try Apple Music and see how I go! Thanks.
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      10-06-2017, 02:34 PM   #16
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Apple Music set up, not one failure yet. It’s a shame as Spotify seems to have a massive selection or remix tracks that are really good, nowhere to be seen on Apple Music. But at least I have music! Thanks for the info. 👍
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      10-06-2017, 04:01 PM   #17
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Great news...

I find myself mainly listening to an Apple Music Radio station now - good to hear Zane Lowe as he's one of the best presenters out there.
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