[steker]

Recently Unique Auto Developments (https://unique-ad.co.uk) added a product to their portfolio that I've been wanting for a while now:

Wireless CarPlay for BMW (https://unique-ad.co.uk/product/CarP...ies-2013-2016/)

At this moment only the 6.5" screens are supported but "Wireless CarPlay for NBT 8.8″ and 10.2″ are coming soon.", so I thought let's keep an eye on the development of this product as I can imagine many are waiting for this.

I saw that user AlbertoSONIC already has a unit in his car and these are his findings. He has found two ways of connecting and using CarPlay:


1. "CarPlay outputs audio thru aux. iPhone pairs with CarPlay via bluetooth and then it streams video and audio via wifi. So on the iPhone you can still be connected to iDrive bluetooth (as the connection with CarPlay is via wifi) and choose it as audio destination. So you could use CarPlay together with iDrive bluetooth, listen iPhone audio via bluetooth, answer calls from iDrive, see the caller in the kombi display etc, while seeing CarPlay in the iDrive screen. But it's too good to be true and actually it's not doable, because it has a serious issue: in this state the iPhone doesn't know if to get the microphone from CarPlay or from the car, so it keeps switching audio destination from CarPlay to iDrive. For example, you're listening iPhone music thru iDrive bluetooth. You get a call, iPhone thinks CarPlay should handle it so the mic has to be CarPlay one, audio switches to CarPlay, so you have to select aux in the iDrive. Call ends, audio switches back to bluetooth, so you have to select bluetooth in iDrive. It's a mess. So what you have to do is:

Do everything with CarPlay. Forget iDrive completely. Remove the bluetooth connection from iPhone to iDrive and use only CarPlay. Listen music on CarPlay, listen radio on CarPlay, answer calls on CarPlay. Never exit it or you will lose calls because if the screen is showing iDrive interface, and audio is not on aux, you will never ever notice you're receiving a call. Remember that you aren't paired with the iDrive anymore, so kombi won't show anything."


2. "This is the setup:

- iDrive with factory mic
- CarPlay with external mic
- iPhone and CarPlay paired (wifi)
- iPhone and iDrive paired (bluetooth)
- aux selected in iDrive

The requisite is that the iPhone connects first to iDrive and then to CarPlay. If it connects to CarPlay first, you have to change audio destination to CarPlay on the iPhone, as it normally chooses the last connected device.

With this setup, you can see CarPlay, listen CarPlay songs/indications and use siri (with CarPlay external mic). At the same time, when you do or receive a call, the call interface is shown in CarPlay BUT it's actually handled by the iDrive. Infact, you see the caller name in kombi AND you can call from kombi contact list AND the call goes thru iDrive bluetooth so it uses car oem mic! And when the call ends, audio goes back to aux for CarPlay, automatically!

This means that you can use CarPlay, then hide it and use iDrive normally, while having it still connected without losing calls as they're still shown in the iDrive, too!

Using wired CarPlay will still use external mic. Remember that this wireless CarPlay is not an update of the old wired CarPlay interface, it's a totally new device. So it won't support car's mic in any way (and if you were interested in, it also doesn't support steering wheel control wheel like the wired one. Unique told me that they may add it later on)

Also consider that if you use the setup I wrote about some posts above (CarPlay + iDrive bluetooth), calls are routed thru bluetooth so they use car'a mic. External mic is used only for siri voice commands and if it is worse in terms of quality, no one will notice (not even siri, which understands perfectly every command, without speaking loud)"


Let's hope for an update from Unique-AD soon.

EDIT 1: the full screen wireless CarPlay version for 8.8" and 10.25" screens is here!

It's listed as a separate product: https://unique-ad.co.uk/product/carp...ies-2013-2016/





I've placed my order, so now we wait!


EDIT 2: I have it installed! It works really really well. It's fast, smooth, wireless, widescreen, I basically never go back into iDrive anymore. Google Maps, Waze, Spotify, Tunein Radio, WhatsApp, Flitsmeister, etc, I really can't live without anymore. I'm in love with my car all over again.

[x-m4n]

I have the Unique AD box since July last year (the original wired version) - so happy with it and has been working great. Wired version can use the stock mic, is best to remove the iPhone/car bluetooth link, I now live within carplay and is all easy to navigate with the BMW controls and Siri.

Wireless was not available back then but I am cool with connecting the phone to the car, I am now used to it...

Waze my preferred app as it offers speed cam alerts. Google maps is next best as it provides lane guidance (no speed limits in the UK just yet).

My only issue now is no full wide screen support ... yet?... I just sent them an email to see if there are any updates - back in November they shared a new firmware (5.1.8) and said full screen support would come in March

[steker]

Originally Posted by x-m4n

I have the Unique AD box since July last year (the original wired version) - so happy with it and has been working great. Wired version can use the stock mic, is best to remove the iPhone/car bluetooth link, I now live within carplay and is all easy to navigate with the BMW controls and Siri.

Wireless was not available back then but I am cool with connecting the phone to the car, I am now used to it...

Waze my preferred app as it offers speed cam alerts. Google maps is next best as it provides lane guidance (no speed limits in the UK just yet).

My only issue now is no full wide screen support ... yet?... I just sent them an email to see if there are any updates - back in November they shared a new firmware (5.1.8) and said full screen support would come in March

Aaah it's really good to hear that you have good experiences with them. Let's hope for a fullscreen version soon for you.

I expect the same for me, I will be living in the CarPlay environment and only look at iDrive for the car status info. iDrive feels so dated in comparison.

So having the wired one has the advantage of using the cars mic and steering wheel controls. That might be a good reason for many to choose it over the wireless one.

How do you by the way update your system? If they would deliver the full screen version, how do you get it on your unit? Does it have a cable with an USB-A female as output to which you normally connect your USB-A to Lightning cable and you put an USB stick in there to update it?

I'm also curious to know how updates would be deployed on the wireless version.

[x-m4n]

Originally Posted by steker

Aaah it's really good to hear that you have good experiences with them.

Good guys - I drove all the way there and met them when they installed the thing for me. Is good to see they are expanding the offerings.

Originally Posted by steker

iDrive feels so dated in comparison.

YES! Same screen but the resolution with Carplay is so much better.

Originally Posted by steker

How do you by the way update your system? If they would deliver the full screen version, how do you get it on your unit? Does it have a cable with an USB-A female as output to which you normally connect your USB-A to Lightning cable and you put an USB stick in there to update it?

Yes, just unplug the lightning cable and insert the USB drive. They sent me a link to download the new firmware, the unit detected the files and updated itself... took a couple of minutes... the only visible update was the the BMW logo in that "app" there in Carplay - it originally came with the standard car icon I think it was called "Auto".

On this subject, I did try to peak into the firmware files - to see if I could at least replace the side panel picture, but failed make much sense of the files or where things are... if anybody knows, could be a fun thing to try

[steker]

Originally Posted by x-m4n

Yes, just unplug the lightning cable and insert the USB drive. They sent me a link to download the new firmware, the unit detected the files and updated itself... took a couple of minutes... the only visible update was the the BMW logo in that "app" there in Carplay - it originally came with the standard car icon I think it was called "Auto".

On this subject, I did try to peak into the firmware files - to see if I could at least replace the side panel picture, but failed make much sense of the files or where things are... if anybody knows, could be a fun thing to try

Good to hear that the update process was so easy. I think for the wireless version there must be some sort of cable available too, because doing it over the air only seems a bit risky with a chance of bricking the device.

It would be nice to be able to replace that image in the mean time while you are waiting for the fullscreen update. I'm really curious to know what the issue is with getting full screen support by the way. Also BimmerTech doesn't seem to be able to get a full screen image on the screen. They blame it on hardware limitations (which seems weird to me, it's just adding extra pixels in the width not a much higher resolution change). Let's hope Unique-AD can get it done.

[x-m4n]

Originally Posted by steker

Good to hear that the update process was so easy. I think for the wireless version there must be some sort of cable available too, because doing it over the air only seems a bit risky with a chance of bricking the device.

It would be nice to be able to replace that image in the mean time while you are waiting for the fullscreen update. I'm really curious to know what the issue is with getting full screen support by the way. Also BimmerTech doesn't seem to be able to get a full screen image on the screen. They blame it on hardware limitations (which seems weird to me, it's just adding extra pixels in the width not a much higher resolution change). Let's hope Unique-AD can get it done.

Is weird yes - the box can clearly "see" the wide screen and shows the carplay part and the side panel picture...

To me looks like there is line of code somewhere where you tell the iphone the size of the destination screen but maybe is not just that...

Note the Bimmertech and unichip boxes are different, not just the software...

[steker]

Originally Posted by x-m4n

Is weird yes - the box can clearly "see" the wide screen and shows the carplay part and the side panel picture...

To me looks like there is line of code somewhere where you tell the iphone the size of the destination screen but maybe is not just that...

Note the Bimmertech and unichip boxes are different, not just the software...

So that side panel picture part, can it actually show split screen info from iDrive or is it just a static part of the screen? And what does the entire screen show when your iPhone is not connected? Does it show iDrive or something like "Connect your iPhone"?

Yeah I hope that the BimmerTech hardware issue is just the limitation of their solution, not a general one.

[x-m4n]

Originally Posted by steker

So that side panel picture part, can it actually show split screen info from iDrive or is it just a static part of the screen? And what does the entire screen show when your iPhone is not connected? Does it show iDrive or something like "Connect your iPhone"?

Yeah I hope that the BimmerTech hardware issue is just the limitation of their solution, not a general one.

the side panel is just a picture - is a you say static... not a great picture, I would rather have the black space there TBH...

The box lunches Carplay automatically when you connect the phone - without the phone there are some options on display - the tiles have some titles like android auto, carplay, screen mirror... I never really go in there...

[steker]

Originally Posted by x-m4n

the side panel is just a picture - is a you say static... not a great picture, I would rather have the black space there TBH...

The box lunches Carplay automatically when you connect the phone - without the phone there are some options on display - the tiles have some titles like android auto, carplay, screen mirror... I never really go in there...

Aah so you can actually also use Android Auto and Android Screen mirroring? I didn't know that. Only way to find out is with an Android device

So that black static space, can that be used as a splitscreen part of iDrive? As in, show data from iDrive or is it really just sitting there doing nothing? Because in the built in CarPlay for new BMW's, the reason it shows that static part is to show splitscreen functionality when needed. I always assumed the CarPlay makes like Unique and Unichip and Bimmertech did it that way as it was BMW's way of showing it. But if there is no split screen, it's useless.

[x-m4n]

Originally Posted by steker

Aah so you can actually also use Android Auto and Android Screen mirroring?

Android auto is there as an option but I have not tried it as we have iPhone here... the screen mirroring works on iphone, tried it once, no practical use for that here...

Originally Posted by steker

So that black static space, can that be used as a splitscreen part of iDrive?

Nope - the Unique box takes over the screen, the side panel can not show any NBT info... but I see no need for any info from there when driving, that is why full screen carplay would be awesome.

[ooshnoo]

You can now pre-order the fullscreen Carplay box from Unique AD... I just did! They ship April 7.

https://unique-ad.co.uk/product/carp...ies-2013-2016/

[grahamrb]

Originally Posted by ooshnoo

You can now pre-order the fullscreen Carplay box from Unique AD... I just did! They ship April 7.

https://unique-ad.co.uk/product/carp...ies-2013-2016/

Worth looking at a group buy? I’ve got the Bimmertech model at the moment but would consider switching.

[steker]

Originally Posted by x-m4n

Android auto is there as an option but I have not tried it as we have iPhone here... the screen mirroring works on iphone, tried it once, no practical use for that here...

Nope - the Unique box takes over the screen, the side panel can not show any NBT info... but I see no need for any info from there when driving, that is why full screen carplay would be awesome.

Just wondering if mirroring of the iPhone X/XS/XS Max screen would come closer to full screen in comparison to regular CarPlay. If you would open Google Maps or Waze in landscape mode and then mirror it, would it show more map screen in comparison. I obviously hope they will support full screen CarPlay soon, that would be the best solution by far.

Originally Posted by ooshnoo

You can now pre-order the fullscreen Carplay box from Unique AD... I just did! They ship April 7.

https://unique-ad.co.uk/product/carp...ies-2013-2016/

Wowww, it's actually here! That's really great news. I've placed my order too. Hopefully we will receive our units in little over a week or so.

[IMG]https://unique-ad.co.uk/wp-content/u...-1-600x364.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]https://unique-ad.co.uk/wp-content/u...-4-600x450.jpg[/IMG]

By the way... it's interesting that this is a separate purchase to the 6.5" wireless solution. I was expecting it to be the same product but with a software update.

[steker]

I just got an email saying that due to an upgrade of the sound chip the orders have been delayed till the 24th/25th. So let's hope next week some of us will be the first to try out wireless widescreen CarPlay! I can't wait

[steker]

I got my DHL shipment confirmation... it's coming!

[ooshnoo]

Originally Posted by steker

I got my DHL shipment confirmation... it's coming!

Me too!

[theblues]

Awesome guys. We will appreciate your feedback in installing and reviewing the product.

[steker]

OK, my expected delivery date is Monday the 29th, so hopefully I will built it in on Friday the 3rd. I will try to film and photograph as much as possible of that process.

[eddiehatchblack]

Closely following this. I have 8.8" NBT and would love Apple CarPlay so I can use Waze and Spotify.

[steker]

It's here already! But tonight is Kingsnight and tomorrow Kingsday here in The Netherlands so I'm afraid I won't get to it in this weekend (music, food and drinks are awaiting ). I'll keep you guys posted.

[mlev]

Looks like they have this listed on eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Wireless-Ap...T/183762084839
May be worth waiting for a 10-15% off sitewide sale

[sknsean]

I have just received mine :-)
I have tried a test fit and it works as they claimed.
Will need to wire the microphone and put the things together properly tomorrow.