Tim used to drive a 5 series actually. Doesn’t mean he has a new one with wireless charging though.
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Apple Admits to BMW Wireless Charging Issue With iPhone 15 Lineup, Promises Fix Later This Year
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Tim is a billionaire, but he seems like the practical and sentimental type. Wouldn't be surprised if he still drives an older car. But if Apple is developing a car or car technology you'd think he would want to test the latest and greatest first hand.
I have a BMW and every phone I've ever put on my wireless charger that was capable of receiving a wireless charge has worked without issue. I don't have an iPhone 15 to test though. Hopefully they get this squared away sooner than later.
Ah... the good old "let's fix a hardware issue with a software patch" approach.
Warning... nerd talk:
This sounds like they put the wireless chargers in those cars do something different in their electromagnetic field that messes with the I2C lines or SPI lines that the NFC controller is connected to, and the iPhone firmware doesn't handle the condition where the chip stops responding. Essentially, they are going to detect a situation where the NFC chip stops responding and reset it automatically.
Warning... nerd talk:
This sounds like they put the wireless chargers in those cars do something different in their electromagnetic field that messes with the I2C lines or SPI lines that the NFC controller is connected to, and the iPhone firmware doesn't handle the condition where the chip stops responding. Essentially, they are going to detect a situation where the NFC chip stops responding and reset it automatically.
Of course it matters!!!. A manufacturer (A) of a product will tell manufacturer (B) what is required to be able to use the product with the one manufacturer (B) is building. It is therefore solely the responsibility of manufacturer (B) to make sure they build the hardware to the specs given by manufacturer (A).
Apple would have told BMW what is required to make NFC in their car work effortlessly with Apple's iphones that use NFC technology. Now anyone that has been involved in the manufacturing design process will know that cutting corners is a fact of manufacturing life. Lets say to make the BMW car NFC hardware Apple NFC compliant costs $30 per car. BMW pencil pushers would look at that and go 'let's see if we can make it cheaper' but here lies the problem and this affects EVERY manufacturer that goes this route, not all information is passed on because some of the information is considered 'no need to know' BUT if built to the spec's given everything will work just as expected. Now when the pen pushers get their way and ask the car designers will the NFC charging still work if it's built slightly different but cheaper and they say yes, unbeknown to them is a function of the tech that does not get built because they built it slightly differently and not to the original specifications. Then when problems occur with the tech, BMW will say it is not their fault because they did not know about the function/feature because Apple did not tell them. Apple would then reply that if BMW had built the NFC chargers to the specifications given there would have been no problem.
we see this type of thing play out between manufacturers time and time again, one playing off against the other as to who's fault it is, all because one tried to do things cheaply but backfired on them. Could this be how it's happened between Apple and BMW? No one will know unless a whistleblower comes forward.
Some may remember that Apple and BMW collaborated together on the wireless charging system that BMW uses in their cars. It was part of their Digital Key project (first of it's kind) where you have a BMW digital key in your Apple Wallet that could unlock the car, and once placed in the wireless charger allows you to start the car and drive.
I own 2 BMWs (X5 and M3) that both have this feature. Both the digital key, and wireless charging have worked perfectly on iPhone X, 13, 14 Pro's without frying any NFCs or damaging the phones. This is clearly an Apple issue because the charging system in both my BMWs haven't changed.
Hopefully Apple gets this sorted out soon. We have 3 new iPhone 15 Pro Max's in sealed boxes that I'll return for now until they do, since we can't use the digital keys without placing them in the wireless charging pad.
I own 2 BMWs (X5 and M3) that both have this feature. Both the digital key, and wireless charging have worked perfectly on iPhone X, 13, 14 Pro's without frying any NFCs or damaging the phones. This is clearly an Apple issue because the charging system in both my BMWs haven't changed.
Hopefully Apple gets this sorted out soon. We have 3 new iPhone 15 Pro Max's in sealed boxes that I'll return for now until they do, since we can't use the digital keys without placing them in the wireless charging pad.
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My guess is it's not actually the Qi charger part, but the NFC reader in the tray for digital key. I don't use that feature much, and only confirmed it worked with my new iPhone 15PM a few weeks ago.... and haven't had the NFC radio problem. I charge wired off USB-C since historically the wireless charger causes the phone to run hot, especially when using CarPlay.
I hope they're able to figure out the culprit and provide a fix
Sounds like one pallet of "chargers" that can mess with parts of the phone having to do with the wallet app mistakenly got sent to BMW, instead of FBI.
OR have you thought the BMW and Toyota supra are using out of spec wireless charging systems?
ever thought of that as a possibility?
no of course not but it is.
Because it is very specific to the car models. Ever wonder why just THOSE ones are affected?
Wonder what parts they are using.
IF this was a general failure on apples end we would be seeing this as far more wide spread.
If BMW chargers aren't to spec, then why is Apple the one fixing the issue and through a simple software update no less instead of customers going to BMW to replace their not up to spec BMW charger?
I have one of the "Affected BMW" wireless chargers. I'll be honest; it's the charger, not the iPhone. I've had the iPhone 13, 14, and now the 15 since I've owned this car. All this charger does is make the phone hot. You can leave it on the charger; you're phone will overheat, and you'll only gain 1% charge. It was only a matter of time before it started breaking devices you charge with it. I've had BMW replace the charger, but no change. I'm actually super happy this is getting brought up in the press. Maybe something will actually get fixed.
I have a bmw ix and regularly charge wirelessly - and use apple key so it's my only way in and out of the car.
should I be worried??
should I be worried??
Why are BMWs the only manufacturer to have this issue? (Aside from the Supra?) Because, maybe, there is some out of spec condition in the BMW chargers that Apple will fix in software? Is that possible?
Because they can fix the issue with a software fix and it would get to millions more people free and easy, compared to very few people wanting to bother sending their car into service to get an “expensive fix for BMW” that a lot of people might not want to waste time doing.
I mean if you want to see how reluctant car manufacturers are to doing expensive hardware fixes, look at the Hyundai debacle with cars easily being stolen.
