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The app still has to be "open" and in the background. But since it uses Bluetooth LE it doesn't drain the battery and it works pretty reliably. Similar to many other Bluetooth devices like the August door lock. Although in my experience the Tesla works better than my August.
Oh it does.. so I’m wondering how does the app stay “open” in the background? Is it the thing where Apple allows apps to stay running as long as your phone is changing geolocations? Otherwise, I believe all apps get killed after around 10 minutes.
 
Oh it does.. so I’m wondering how does the app stay “open” in the background? Is it the thing where Apple allows apps to stay running as long as your phone is changing geolocations? Otherwise, I believe all apps get killed after around 10 minutes.
Apple allows apps to declare a Core Bluetooth background execution mode to allow apps to perform actions when a Bluetooth connection is made or broken.

 
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Can CarKit be installed after-market? I haven't heard of a company announcing it yet, but is it even possible or does Apple only work with existing auto makers? I honestly want this more than CarPlay. My wireless iPhone mount with BT works pretty good in lieu of CarPlay, but I hate carrying keys. My house key has been wireless through HomeKit for many years and I only carry my car key now.
 
I have had this for a few months now on my 2021 BMW M5. It works 50% of the time. I have tried several times leaving my house with just my phone as the key and many times I am standing outside my car looking like I am trying to break in for 15 minutes. The phone as a key to start the car works great. Unlocking and locking suck.
I have a 2021 540i; with an iPhone 12 Pro Max I would say the digital key is "finicky," sometimes it works right away, sometimes I have to make quite a few passes to get it to unlock the door. No rhyme or reason, can't figure out if there is a specific way to hold or approach the iPhone to get it to work right away. Also, a Pro Max doesn't it in the charger well if you have any kind of case (though it works as a digital ignition key if you put it head-in). Wouldn't trust it for long trips, but for going to the gym I can now leave my car fob and my wallet at home (using digital drivers license).

edit: OK, I went to my BMW dealership and spoke with their tech Genius (not to be confused with an Apple Genius). Anyway, it seems that the activation point for using an iPhone as a digital key is where the Apple is on the back, in the middle of the phone; not the top edge of the phone as seen in most pictures. So I tried that and it worked much better.
 
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Is this because of the Tesla key fob or the card or Tesla phone app? If fob, then obviously the goal is to not have to carry that around. If card in wallet, then I hope to not have to carry around my wallet either, or at least slim it down as much as possible. If app, then how does it know when I’m near the car?

Yes to CarPlay (and wireless)
The Tesla app. All I ever carry with me now is my Watch and iPhone.
 
I hear people say this sometimes, but as a Tesla owner who has the periodic misfortune of using CarPlay when I'm on vacation, why on earth would you want that?

Tesla has a better native music, texting, and maps than anything that CarPlay delivers - why would you want to subject yourself to using CarPlay?

It's like begging to get Windows on an M1 Mac just so you can use Chrome... it's already there without going through the hoops, so why would you want to make it needlessly more complicated?

If it's specifically Apple Music you want, Elon has said it'll come. I was pretty sure we would have a Tesla App Store by now... I figured Tesla would have Apple provide the app themselves instead of having their own internal team develop yet another music app...
I just prefer the CarPlay maps and texting. Personal preference.
 
Honda...more reliable but cheaper components all around. BMW wins hands down in fun to drive category. Honda is like Lexus...quite boring. I just left the Lexus realm after many years of them. Driving is fun again.
Until all the plastics in the engine compartment start to deteriorate from heat requiring an expensive repair. That's the biggest reason I backed out of buying a 2021 BMW back in October. I had paid for the car in full and was supposed to pick it up at 5pm and decided to cancel the deal. It's no secret that the build quality on those cars has decided over recent years.

Previous Accord I owned was a 2014. When I traded it in last May with 115,000 miles, the only things it needed in all those years of owning it was oil, tires, brakes and a battery. Not happening with a BMW. Also the depreciation on BMWs is beyond ridiculous. I bought a 2019 Accord Sport in May for around $20,000. I sold it on October for $28,200. I tool the BMW that I had paid for and put the info into CarMax and they would give me $15,000 less than I was paying for it. When I cancelled the deal, the salesman asked why. I told him the same things that I wrote here and he said it was perfectly understandable especially with the resale values.
 
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Can CarKit be installed after-market? I haven't heard of a company announcing it yet, but is it even possible or does Apple only work with existing auto makers? I honestly want this more than CarPlay. My wireless iPhone mount with BT works pretty good in lieu of CarPlay, but I hate carrying keys. My house key has been wireless through HomeKit for many years and I only carry my car key now.
Seems that it can't be after-market. Apple seems to control what is allowed into the Wallet app very tightly.

Ironically it's easy to implement RFID car keys these days but few car companies do it for some reason (it's a cool feature to have a credit card sized key you put in your wallet). And RFID is compatible with NFC so the original version using NFC on the iPhone could have been built into many cars very easily. Maybe the UWB version will be the popular one since it is "wireless" like normal key fobs are. On the other hand, many car makers are using Bluetooth but Apple elected to not use Bluetooth.
 
App doesn't have to be opened. Bluetooth yes, opened no. My phone just sits locked in my pocket. Even if it's weak, it sure is nice.
App has to be open in the background, if you close it you will get a notification saying you are disconnected. CarKey can run from Apple Watch like a credit card, big win
 
Yes, the digital key app needs to be added to the app store for Hyundai and Genesis vehicles. Android users have the digital key in the Google Play store. Apple needs to add the key to the wallet app as well. Hopefully this summer! ;):apple:
Screenshot 2022-05-03 171729.jpg
 
Do you only shop at places that accept Apple Pay? Or do you also have Walmart & Kroger Pay setup?
Shops don’t need to accept Apple Pay, they need to accept the contactless standard. So if they accept contactless bank cards then they accept Apple Pay. That is the beauty of a good implementation.

And yes I only take my phone as well. The only time I used my Polestar 2 keys was as multi factors to enable pairing with my phone as key setup. It’s been flawless.
 
App has to be open in the background, if you close it you will get a notification saying you are disconnected. CarKey can run from Apple Watch like a credit card, big win
Polestar also doesn’t use the Apple Carkey and take a similar cross platform approach like Tesla. And no the app doesn’t need to be opened. It needs to be paired and needs to be activated on the car. But you don’t need to open the app, or have it running in the background. That is just not true.
 
Shops don’t need to accept Apple Pay, they need to accept the contactless standard. So if they accept contactless bank cards then they accept Apple Pay. That is the beauty of a good implementation.

And yes I only take my phone as well. The only time I used my Polestar 2 keys was as multi factors to enable pairing with my phone as key setup. It’s been flawless.
The reason I mentioned Walmart and Kroger Pay was that these are literally at this point the last two holdouts of even turning on contactless payments in the US.
 
The reason I mentioned Walmart and Kroger Pay was that these are literally at this point the last two holdouts of even turning on contactless payments in the US.
Yup, more fool them. But that is not an Apple Pay problem. They got to get into the 21st century. Amazed that covid regulations hasn’t forced them to enable contactless payments.
 
I’m very much hoping this feature rolls out to my new Kia EV6.
Not holding my breath though, the car doesn’t have wireless CarPlay which is crazy in 2022 for a hot new tech-filled car.
Very strange that the EV6s don't have wireless car play. Do they have wired CarPlay?

Not sure about earlier models, but it appears that all of the 2022 KIA Niros (plain hybrid, PEHV, and EV) all have wireless CarPlay capability. Not all apps that show up on the screen behave perfectly--I can't consistently get WAZE to work well on my Niro's touch screen (clearly a 1st world concern).

Again I would think that there would be much better tech integration on the EV6 than the Niro. Despite not having CarPlay, I bet you are having a blast with your EV6!!
 
Very strange that the EV6s don't have wireless car play. Do they have wired CarPlay?

Not sure about earlier models, but it appears that all of the 2022 KIA Niros (plain hybrid, PEHV, and EV) all have wireless CarPlay capability. Not all apps that show up on the screen behave perfectly--I can't consistently get WAZE to work well on my Niro's touch screen (clearly a 1st world concern).

Again I would think that there would be much better tech integration on the EV6 than the Niro. Despite not having CarPlay, I bet you are having a blast with your EV6!!
They do have wired CarPlay. You can always get one of those USB things I suppose that will convert it to wireless.
 
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