Apple CarPlay Observations

[SSJAR]

I have had my car (17' M3 ZCP) for a week or so now and thought I would put together some observations I have made using Apple Carplay that may help some folks out there when deciding whether or not to purchase the Carplay Option. I consider myself to be a bit of a geek and enjoy trying to figure out how things work and what can and cannot be done (over the weekend coded a bunch of items to include Anti-Dazzle feature for the headlights).

- Carplay really wants you to use voice commands and when you are within Carplay you can only use Siri or the iDrive wheel

- Texting, reading texts, making/receiving calls is very intuitive and is easy. No need to pick up the phone to do any of that which is nice. For those with an iPhone already the layout is just what you are used to. For that reason I picked up a wireless charging case for my iPhone and now when I get in I just put it in the cradle and never touch it until I arrive.

- Carplay just uses your phone contacts so they are all right there with no importing that can be messy at times.

- One of the reasons I went with Carplay was I am a big fan of Slacker. I came from a Tesla which used Slacker and over the years I enjoyed being able to play any song I wanted at anytime. Slacker is one of the few apps that is supported in Carplay, so when in Carplay it is a seamless transition to listen to online music though Slacker/Carplay. All of my menus are there for my stations/favorites, etc.

- In articles I read prior to receiving my car it seemed that Carplay was not wireless. My Carplay does not connect over a wireless network but rather does function as "wireless" via bluetooth. Maybe I was just missing something when I was researching it.

Here is where we get into some items that are quirky but make sense I think) in the long run:

- When you set up/pair your phone you have to select if you want Carplay or Connected drive to run media/phone/text/navigation.

- With that said, you can go back and forth but it does seem a bit clunky. For instance, if I am listening to music in Carplay via Slacker, and I say "Hey Siri" and then tell her to navigate to "Home" the screen then displays my route via Apple Maps in Carplay, rather than the IDrive Navigation which I think is better (just my humble opinion, really would want Waze...). Instead of doing this through Siri you can just hit the menu button and then select Navigation in iDrive and then select your destination. You can also use the BMW voice recognition to give an address and it will then use BMW maps. I know, first world problems.

- BMW Apps - if you are using Carplay and you have selected it through your phone profile to handle calls/texts/navigation, etc. you lose the ability to see the BMW Apps you may have on your phone. For example, I have the BMW Laptimer and if I want to see that on the iDrive interface and use it then I have to switch my phone profile over to BMW Connected Drive for everything. I also have BMW Drive IOS Analyser and if I want to use that I cannot use Carplay at the same time. Really no big deal as I am sure if I was on the track and really needed it I would not be overly concerned with streaming my music.

My overall thought is that Carplay and IDrive just seem to be on different pages at times (I know, they are two separatemanufacturers). I wasn't sure how i was going to like iDrive overall which is one of the reasons I made sure to get Carplay as well as the ability to listen to Slacker. I am surprised at how much I like iDrive which makes it tough that I think Carplay has some strong points as well so I will continue to keep using both. For $300 it really is not a bad deal in the end. I am hoping that down the road they may add functionality as well as new apps to Carplay. Once of the biggest detriments to Carplay is the lack of apps that have been approved.

Again, these are just some observations I have made and if someone has found workarounds for some of the items I deemed as "clunky" would love to hear them.

[blackf0rk]

Thanks for the in-depth review, I was wondering about all this while I wait for mine

[Sedan_Clan]

How are texts dictated via CarPlay? Siri?

[SSJAR]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

How are texts dictated via CarPlay? Siri?

Yes, when you are in carplay you can say "Hey Siri" and tell her to text or you can just select the "Text" app in Carplay and Siri will ask you who you would like to text. Likewise, if you receive a text and you are in Carplay she will tell you who it is from and will then read it to you.

Seems like they really want a "hands off" approach when it comes to doing anything while driving. Can't argue with that assuming it works.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by SSJAR

Yes, when you are in carplay you can say "Hey Siri" and tell her to text or you can just select the "Text" app in Carplay and Siri will ask you who you would like to text. Likewise, if you receive a text and you are in Carplay she will tell you who it is from and will then read it to you.

Seems like they really want a "hands off" approach when it comes to doing anything while driving. Can't argue with that assuming it works.

That may make CarPlay worth it for me.

[omegatlc]

Looking forward to using CarPlay when I get my car next week. Great review and thanks for the tips!

[thorHAM]

Have you tried using Apple Music (I know you use Slacker, just checking though), and any idea if it integrates well with Carplay?

That's the only app I would really use, and I was gonna skip carplay since I've read that it integrates well with iDrive, but if Carplay's integration of it is better, I might spring for the $300 option.

Thanks again!

Also, would you mind saying which wireless case you have? I have a 7+, so was worried a thick case might be too big for the charging area.

[SSJAR]

Originally Posted by thorHAM

Have you tried using Apple Music (I know you use Slacker, just checking though), and any idea if it integrates well with Carplay?

That's the only app I would really use, and I was gonna skip carplay since I've read that it integrates well with iDrive, but if Carplay's integration of it is better, I might spring for the $300 option.

Thanks again!

Also, would you mind saying which wireless case you have? I have a 7+, so was worried a thick case might be too big for the charging area.

I have not tried Apple Music yet. For me it came down that I already had my lists and favorites in Slacker and really did not want the hassle of changing everything over.

As for the case it was nothing fancy and fits with plenty of room within the carrier. Here is the link to it on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[yaymitch]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

That may make CarPlay worth it for me.

You can do that without CarPlay through bluetooth.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by yaymitch

You can do that without CarPlay through bluetooth.

How? Which program are you using to dictate text messages?

[yaymitch]

Hey-Siri. Comes right up on iDrive, radio goes silent until message is sent. I usually have my phone directly connected. I would think it works through bluetooth as well. You can actually see text messages through the office setting as well on the screen.

[teazr1]

Originally Posted by yaymitch

Hey-Siri. Comes right up on iDrive, radio goes silent until message is sent. I usually have my phone directly connected. I would think it works through bluetooth as well. You can actually see text messages through the office setting as well on the screen.

Agreed. I have an iPhone 6, so in order to use Siri you just hold down the voice command button on the steering wheel until you hear the familiar Siri chime. Then you can tell Siri to do whatever she's capable of doing. Works well and I'm connected by Bluetooth.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by yaymitch

Hey-Siri. Comes right up on iDrive, radio goes silent until message is sent. I usually have my phone directly connected. I would think it works through bluetooth as well. You can actually see text messages through the office setting as well on the screen.

Damn! I've never used Siri once, but now that I know she can dictate for me, I will try it today. My BMW wireless charging case should be here any day too.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by teazr1

Agreed. I have an iPhone 6, so in order to use Siri you just hold down the voice command button on the steering wheel until you hear the familiar Siri chime. Then you can tell Siri to do whatever she's capable of doing. Works well and I'm connected by Bluetooth.

It only works using the home button on the iPhone. When I use VC, it says the BT device doesn't support the function.

edit:

Never mind. I didn't hold the button down long enough.

[yaymitch]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

It only works using the home button on the iPhone. When I use VC, it says the BT device doesn't support the function.

You have to set up Hey-Siri on your iPhone. That way you don't have to use the home button.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by yaymitch

You have to set up Hey-Siri on your iPhone. That way you don't have to use the home button.

Thanks!

[bmxcamel]

Originally Posted by thorHAM

Have you tried using Apple Music (I know you use Slacker, just checking though), and any idea if it integrates well with Carplay?

That's the only app I would really use, and I was gonna skip carplay since I've read that it integrates well with iDrive, but if Carplay's integration of it is better, I might spring for the $300 option.

Thanks again!

Also, would you mind saying which wireless case you have? I have a 7+, so was worried a thick case might be too big for the charging area.

An iPhone 7 plus does NOT fit even without a case in the wireless charging cradle. Can say so from personal experience on my 2017 F80

[M Pulse]

I've been using CarPlay for a few days now too. Although I'm generally happy with it there are some quirks with it.

For example, I have HUD as an option on my M4 and when I use iDrive navigation I get directions on HUD. If you use CarPlay you can only view directions on the iDrive screen, too bad the Apple maps directions don't appear on HUD.

Also, without CarPlay I like the fact that I can use the phone button on the steering wheel and scroll through my contacts (which also appears on HUD) then select someone I want to call.

I think for now I'm going to use the iDrive navigation so I can see my directions on HUD until Waze comes to CarPlay. At that point I don't think I'll ever use the iDrive navigation.

I also prefer to read texts on the screen rather than having Siri read it for me. So that is another point against CarPlay, there is no way to read texts on your iDrive screen in CarPlay.

[Hai1242]

How do I get a text message "sound" when using CarPlay? It only shows me "Text from xxx" on the Navi Display. Thanks.

[M Pulse]

You have to be listening to media through your iPhone to hear alerts. If you're simply listening to radio or satellite then you won't hear any alerts from your phone.

[itrocks4u]

Originally Posted by M Pulse

You have to be listening to media through your iPhone to hear alerts. If you're simply listening to radio or satellite then you won't hear any alerts from your phone.

Originally Posted by SSJAR

I have not tried Apple Music yet. For me it came down that I already had my lists and favorites in Slacker and really did not want the hassle of changing everything over.

As for the case it was nothing fancy and fits with plenty of room within the carrier. Here is the link to it on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for the info. Bummer that it doesn't integrate with HUD. Have a few questions:

1) Carplay uses bluetooth to connect with the car right? Does that mean all the apps running on Carplay are using my phone data or does it start using the internal internet?

2) The option to select Carplay or iDrive. Is that provided everytime the phone enters the car or is it a one time option.

3) If I have android as the first preferred phone (don't recall if we can do that), will it override Carplay option and straight go to iDrive?

In Canada, this is a $750 option with Carplay, WiFi Hotspot and wireless charging. Not sure if it is worth it.

Thanks!

[bholler]

So I got my car yesterday and be doing it wrong but I would like to go to the next track via a steering wheel button. I used the scroll wheel on the right and mysteriously the place where the name of the next track is suppose to be is just blank. Anyone else seeing this?