sanp in adapter I am totally confused

[joeyemma]

I have a 2012 x5 AND a 2011.

The 2012 has BMW apps and I got a media snap in adapter and Pandora and my IPOD work great

My 2011 does NOT HAVE BMW apps....can I still play Pandora if I get a snap in adapter?

If so....WHICH snap in adapter do I want?

I did sign in to Pandora and it was playing on my Iphone 4 but when I use the firewire cable to hook my phone up to the car...I hear nothing exept the
phone playing in the 2011.

Totally confused...please help


Thank you

[apw2607]

If you're 2011 has BT audio streaming you could use that otherwise you'll just have to use the aux cable with no control.

[Jasnb]

Originally Posted by joeyemma

I have a 2012 x5 AND a 2011.

The 2012 has BMW apps and I got a media snap in adapter and Pandora and my IPOD work great

My 2011 does NOT HAVE BMW apps....can I still play Pandora if I get a snap in adapter?

If so....WHICH snap in adapter do I want?

I did sign in to Pandora and it was playing on my Iphone 4 but when I use the firewire cable to hook my phone up to the car...I hear nothing exept the
phone playing in the 2011.

Totally confused...please help


Thank you

You're not the only one. I'm waiting for mine to arrive and trying to figure out if I need the adapter at all?

The USB port is standard on new 2012s - figured I just connect the iPhone cable and it should be fine. Everything I've read leads me to believe the adapter isn't required. My girlfriend even bought me one for Xmas but we ended up returning it because it was figured we didn't need it.

Hopefully someone can clear the air as I also have ordered the Apps package and I have an iPhone 4S.

[mrpcar]

I think having the adapter allows your BMW to access your phone's "data" service to gain access to a lot of information that's available over the internet using the iDrive menu to access them.

[apw2607]

Originally Posted by mrpcar

I think having the adapter allows your BMW to access your phone's "data" service to gain access to a lot of information that's available over the internet using the iDrive menu to access them.

Complete nonsense.

The cradle provides the following features OVER the cable.

1) hold the phone
2) allows the external shark fin to be used for handset cellphone reception. Uses inductive coupling to the phone as its connection. Debatable whether it actually provides any value
3) allows iPhone native iPod interface on BMW screen
4) allows playback of videos from iPhone on BMW screen

That's it

Last time I'm answering this question. Search in future.

[skalberti]

Originally Posted by apw2607

Complete nonsense.

The cradle provides the following features OVER the cable.

1) hold the phone
2) allows the external shark fin to be used for handset cellphone reception. Uses inductive coupling to the phone as its connection. Debatable whether it actually provides any value
3) allows iPhone native iPod interface on BMW screen
4) allows playback of videos from iPhone on BMW screen

That's it

Last time I'm answering this question. Search in future.

It also allows the phone to immediately connect to the phone, where as with the cable you have to open the BMW connected app and then start pandora before it will show up on the nav screen. It just removes a few steps to start using your apps faster.

[apw2607]

Originally Posted by skalberti

It also allows the phone to immediately connect to the phone, where as with the cable you have to open the BMW connected app and then start pandora before it will show up on the nav screen. It just removes a few steps to start using your apps faster.

Phone to connect to the phone ?

Phone to connect to car perhaps. Are you saying when using the cradle, BMW connected or pandora doesn't need to be running and it will automatically start it ? Or if it's already running ... Doesn't need to active in order for the car to connect? How about if both apps are running at the same time and neither is active. What happens then?

How about switching from web radio to pandora ... Is that improved with the cradle?

[skalberti]

The cradle just allow you to snap in the phone an use the external antenna, immediately start using your apps without having to start the BMW connected app and then starting your pandora. Mog or any other app. If you just connect your phone to the USB via the apple cable, you can do all the same things with the snap in kit, it just takes longer to get things going, plus you lose the external antenna.

[RichB]

I purchased the cradle for the iPhone 3G. Quickly became dated when the iPhone 4 came out. Decided to use the y-connector for my iphone 4 in my 2010 M3. I can play any audio through the y-connector (Pandora, Audible, news papers, magazines, etc). The non-native Iphone music apps have limited controls through iDrive. I never noticed an improved cell reception with the cradle.

My wife has a 2012 X5 with BMW Apps. We use the white iPhone cable to allow full control to Pandora, MOG, etc through iDrive.

Bottomline...the cradle is not required. It is a convenience item that (IMO) is overpriced and unnecessary.

[Jasnb]

Originally Posted by RichB

I purchased the cradle for the iPhone 3G. Quickly became dated when the iPhone 4 came out. Decided to use the y-connector for my iphone 4 in my 2010 M3. I can play any audio through the y-connector (Pandora, Audible, news papers, magazines, etc). The non-native Iphone music apps have limited controls through iDrive. I never noticed an improved cell reception with the cradle.

My wife has a 2012 X5 with BMW Apps. We use the white iPhone cable to allow full control to Pandora, MOG, etc through iDrive.

Bottomline...the cradle is not required. It is a convenience item that (IMO) is overpriced and unnecessary.

That's pretty much what I thought. Honestly anything is a step up from my A4 with the RNS-E head unit using SD cards for onboard storage!

[zibawal]

Originally Posted by joeyemma

I have a 2012 x5 AND a 2011.

The 2012 has BMW apps and I got a media snap in adapter and Pandora and my IPOD work great

My 2011 does NOT HAVE BMW apps....can I still play Pandora if I get a snap in adapter?

If so....WHICH snap in adapter do I want?

I did sign in to Pandora and it was playing on my Iphone 4 but when I use the firewire cable to hook my phone up to the car...I hear nothing exept the
phone playing in the 2011.

Totally confused...please help


Thank you

May I request if you wont mind fixing: sanp in adapter I am totally confused( IN ur title)

Thanks

[RichB]

Originally Posted by apw2607

Complete nonsense.

The cradle provides the following features OVER the cable.

1) hold the phone
2) allows the external shark fin to be used for handset cellphone reception. Uses inductive coupling to the phone as its connection. Debatable whether it actually provides any value
3) allows iPhone native iPod interface on BMW screen
4) allows playback of videos from iPhone on BMW screen

That's it

Last time I'm answering this question. Search in future.

+1

I had a iPhone 3G adapter sitting around the house not being used. Decided to take a Dremel to it to make it work for iPhone4. Surprisingly it worked. It worked in my 2010 M3 and 2012 X5. I can access the BMW interface for the iPhone.

I wanted the BMW Apps Plugin functionality in the 2012 X5 as you described. I wanted the iPhone interface through iDrive. Well...the modified iPhone 3G adapter did not support the "plugin" capability for #3 & 4 on your list. I will use the modified 3G adapter in my M3. I may get a new adapter for X5. Hate spending $200 every 2 years for an updated adapter to support the newly released iPhone.

[doug_999]

With my iPhone 3Gs in my M5, the snap in adapter provided MUCH improved cell phone reception. I have NOT tested the same thing with the iPhone 4s, but I would guess it still helps. With my 3Gs, when I removed the phone from the snap in adapter, I would drop the call in low signal areas. So at least with that combo, I can confirm the sharkfin was a HUGE help.

However, snap in or no snap in, you still must start the app on the phone for it to work (unless you guys know a trick I don't). My BMW Apps, Pandora, and MOG all require their respective app to be running - even with the snap in adapter.

[apw2607]

Yes. I tried to get clarification above on the apparent no need to manually launch the apps when using the cradle despite my own experience, the iOS Apis not allowing 3rd parties to start apps on the iPhone and bmws own instructions.

I've no idea what "magic" the cradle is doing here. It makes no sense because the only change in the way the phone is connected to the car with cradle v cable is cradle also provides analog audio and video out for plugin.

[burcham2]

arent there two different cradles, the iphone4 regualr cradle and the iphone4 MEDIA cradle?

[jcranston]

There are two different adapters a media one for BMW Apps and a music one which will allow you to play music files on your iphone along with pandora. I have a 2011 X5 5.0 but the media adapter will not work if the build was actually in 2010 the music adapter does work though.