Android Head Unit

[GreenYamo]

Is there a definitive thread on this already I may have missed?

Been enjoying all the posts on the board as newbie and relatively new to my E70 and the the first BMW I've owned but it 100% won't be my last, but the lack of Bluetooth audio is what I'm predominantly struggling with. I've tried the Bluetooth adaptors etc but the sound is awful and I'd just rather upgrade the screen completely.

Just wondering the best to buy considering issues I've seen regarding glare and sound quality really considering they seem to connect to the audio via a 3.5mm jack.

I have reversing and birds eye cameras to connect too, so just looking for information and people's opinions, thanks in advance.

[Serf27]

My e70 came with the android radio.
Before realizing it came with it, I was dead set on buying it once I got the car.

I’m glad I wasn’t the one who paid for the android radio.
It is junk IMO.
My stock e70 cic does support Bluetooth audio, I think that’s from the factory and has nothing to do with the android head unit.

The only parts I like about the android head unit is that the main idrive screen is uses looks modern. When you shut off the screen while it’s on the android screen, the screen does go completely black and doesn’t have any light pass through as the stock system does.
Other than that, I’m always on the factory screen.
The audio output from the android via aux is horrible. You get a lot of static and can hardly hear anything. If you turn the volume up, the static gets even louder.

So streaming music from apps like Spotify or pandora will just sound horrible.
I cannot connect my phone via Bluetooth to the android end anyways to have my music display, even if I did, the audio would be bad.

You can use apps like google maps and Waze, but the audio between the android and the bmw system won’t merge, so you’ll be left with no map voice or with a staticky voice.

Last thing I do like a little is, the android end has a digital cluster side which looks nice.
But fuel and speed is measured in Km and L and I don’t know how to change it, and the needles for the rpm and speed are very laggy on this screen.

The android end does look very nice and a lot more modern. If it worked a lot better, I’d be very happy with it, but it is almost useless.

Maybe it’s just the version I have or whoever installed it messed up some Audio wires, but I wouldn’t buy the android head unit/ screen.

I have reverse and back up cam as well and those do works. The picture is a bit grainy but it may be because of my actual camera.

I’d rather buy this
https://www.bimmer-tech.net/category...xoCX_0QAvD_BwE

I’m not sure if that will work for me because I already have an android screen, but if you’re stock, I’d go that route.
Hope this helps.

[pearlpower]

If you need to replace a faulty screen, then go for it. I played with mine for sometime, and on long drives it is fine. Audio through apps is just as good as the OEM side, just have to play a lot with the settings. I use the multi split app which also works well. But any of these aftermarket head units have challenges such as poor bluetooth integration (I use factory BT), apps not formatted for the screen size (Youtube is the first to come to mind), etc.

Other cons: very slow download speed via 2.4ghz only, brutal at times. Hotspot linking is intermittent, sometime works OK, other times not, never great.

Video looks good for things such as movies, backup camera, etc.

Again, my primary purchase was motivated by a defective factory unit, and the Android unit is larger than the factory screen.

[Serf27]

I guess my issues with my head unit come from the software version it has.
Newer ones I have seen seem better and support Apple car play.