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Oh this problem - I have revisited this issue since i got my iphone 7 plus. I have a 2016 BMW- no problems.
 



Over the past two weeks, an increasing number of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users have experienced Bluetooth audio issues in vehicles. The majority of users experiencing problems appear to be BMW owners, regardless of model, but other vehicle brands such as Hyundai and Kia appear to be involved in limited cases.

bluetooth-iphone-7-bmw.jpg

The issues range from audio cutting out to connectivity issues with infotainment systems. BMW users in particular report being able to stream music for about 5-10 seconds, at which point the ConnectedDrive system freezes. Fixing the system requires restarting the iPhone, but the issue reemerges once the connection is reestablished.

MacRumors reader YachtMac posted in our discussion forums:Apple Support Communities member Chandy911 echoed the same problem:MacRumors reader PorscheRain:BMW itself has acknowledged the issues and said it is working with Apple to ensure iPhone 7 compatibility in its vehicles:Apple has seemingly told some customers the fix will be included in an upcoming software update. The issue is still present on iOS 10.1 beta. BMW owners are recommended to update to the latest version of ConnectedDrive as a preparative measure. BMWs equipped with CarPlay do not appear to be affected.

These types of issues have been seen before. In 2014, some users experienced trouble pairing their devices to their vehicles via Bluetooth after upgrading to iOS 8 or purchasing a new iPhone 6 or 6 Plus. Apple fixed the issues in iOS 8.1. Similar issues affecting some iPhone SE users were addressed in iOS 9.3.2.

Article Link: iPhone 7 and BMW Owners Experiencing Bluetooth Audio Issues
[doublepost=1485853488][/doublepost]Is the iPhone 7 connection problem with BMW now solved ?
 
[doublepost=1485853488][/doublepost]Is the iPhone 7 connection problem with BMW now solved ?
I'm no longer having the issue and from reading a couple BMW forums I frequent, I don't see any more posts from others having the issue either... so I would say it is fixed.
 
Hi, can somebody tell me if an iPhone 7 Plus fits into the Universal Snap-in adapter in the arm rest
of a BMW X3 (2013) ? I know it fits into the adapter but does it also fit into the arm rest ?
 
I highly doubt it. Those adapters are made for the smaller iPhones. It definitely won't fit in my 2015 228i. Seems pointless anyway. I just use Bluetooth and keep my phone in my pocket.
 
I highly doubt it. Those adapters are made for the smaller iPhones. It definitely won't fit in my 2015 228i. Seems pointless anyway. I just use Bluetooth and keep my phone in my pocket.
Agreed on both points. I have a 2016 340i and there is no way the Plus would fit in that adaptor. I'm assuming the X3 is the same size in there.

I bought one of the adaptors a few years ago, might have been and iPhone 4 or so and only used it a couple times. Total waste of money for me. I guess if one took a lot of long trips it might be useful, but otherwise everything works fine over BT in my pocket.
 
There is a new adapter, the Universal Snap-in adapter for iPhone. The 6 Plus fits in that adapter so the 7 Plus should also fit. The question is however, does this fit in the arm rest of the X3 ? Even BMW cannot answer the question so I think I give it a try at the BMW dealer.
 
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There is a new adapter, the Universal Snap-in adapter for iPhone. The 6 Plus fits in that adapter so the 7 Plus should also fit. The question is however, does this fit in the arm rest of the X3 ? Even BMW cannot answer the question so I think I give it a try at the BMW dealer.
Oh yeah... I had forgotten about that new adaptor.

OP> Here is a forum photo of someone who got a 6+ to fit with that adaptor in an M4, so there might be hope for you.

The BMW part number is 84212365785. BMW wants $229 for it but you can get any BMW parts for better prices from ECS Tuning. From here looks like they have it for $197. I'm not affiliated with them, just used them before myself.

IMG_1263.JPG
 
Oh yeah... I had forgotten about that new adaptor.

OP> Here is a forum photo of someone who got a 6+ to fit with that adaptor in an M4, so there might be hope for you.

The BMW part number is 84212365785. BMW wants $229 for it but you can get any BMW parts for better prices from ECS Tuning. From here looks like they have it for $197. I'm not affiliated with them, just used them before myself.

View attachment 686696
[doublepost=1486051530][/doublepost]Thanks for the help. I will give it a try at the BMW dealer next week.
 
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Time to sell my BMW I guess.
[doublepost=1495484302][/doublepost]
Ever consider selling your iPhone?

i can play 44.1/24bit AIFF files just fine on my iPhone 7 in my 328i. i got the 250 plus gig cuz these files are huge. also - i can play 48/24 bit AIFF on my iPod Classic just fine. on my iPhone i have i unchecked the downsampling box which converts files to at best 256 khps altho it does then take up a lot of space. if you have an individual "hi end" audio system BMW uses a built in DAC powered by DIRAC that is --- clean and LOUD. the only way it sounds crappy is playing mp3 or AAC.

don't sell your car or your phone. both devices are made to work with your car. beautifully in hi res.

the hitch: you can't stream it. and you have to use the y cable at least in older models.
[doublepost=1495487202][/doublepost]forgot to mention that the BMW DIRAC DAC will improve the sound of any file. and bluetooth for the phone works too.
 
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Connection issues resolved, now the only issue remaining is that sometimes my car's scrolling and selecting doesn't do anything with my music...I can only press the arrow buttons next to the CD player or change directly on my iPhone. The usual fix to this is to restart the iPhone and all functions work via car controls, but will eventually stop working again.
 
For BMW drivers just play your music through the the USB ports. The audio quality is better than Bluetooth and you can charge at the same time. I've had no problems so far.
The user interface to play music via direct connect is horrible. Really difficult to navigate your playlist.
 
The user interface to play music via direct connect is horrible. Really difficult to navigate your playlist.

It's not the best, but it's a limitation of it being a generic iDrive UI versus one made for Apple Music specifically. Spotify has their own app in iDrive, so it's a bit better. My guess is the latest version of iDrive (5.0) is better. Additionally, newer BMW's offer CarPlay.
 
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