[Yobyot]

Don't get me wrong -- I think iDrive is great, including the Nav system.

But other manufacturers are surging ahead (http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013...?smid=pl-share and especially http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2013...?smid=pl-share).

For the life of me, I can't understand why BMW hasn't integrated Siri for iOS users and why BMW Apps are so freakin' odd.

In my car, I have the media snap-in adapter for my iPhone. To use BMW Apps, I have to start it, then insert the phone into the adapter. If I make a call, the phone switches away from BMW Apps causing problems later. The "snap-in function" requires a bazillions steps to activate or the loss of a program button on iDrive. The "exported" iPod interface is OK, but you completely lose all other iDrive capabilities while it's running.

Oh, and I switched from Android to iOS because BMW, despite announcing Android support last year still hasn't done much to integrate Android into the car.

I just don't get it -- how could BMW let Ford and GM get so far ahead of them?

[MSPORTWORLD]

Ehhh....First world problems

I love my zero option M3 just as much as I love my fully optioned one...rarely use BMWApps/Siri.

I've actually had a lot more trouble and hatred toward Sync in my F-150.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by Yobyot

For the life of me, I can't understand why BMW hasn't integrated Siri for iOS users and why BMW Apps are so freakin' odd.

Should be coming, soon.

[RichardM]

None of that is available yet though. It will be a while before you start to see it in cars.

[roundel335]

I personally have zero use for gadgets like this that have so little to do with the driving experience. Integrating a "smart" phone of any OS platform or a music player just seems rather insignificant compared to all the other things we get from BMW. The "lesser brands" are depending on gadgets to overshadow their vehicles' shortcomings, and there are a great many of us who have no use for them. I just don't think BMW needs to "keep up", because the majority of BMW buyers likely don't consider the gadget factor to be a major buying decision point.

[alex2364]

When did iOS and Siri become the end all and be all for infotainment systems? 70% of people uses something other than a iPhone.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by roundel335

I personally have zero use for gadgets like this that have so little to do with the driving experience. Integrating a "smart" phone of any OS platform or a music player just seems rather insignificant compared to all the other things we get from BMW. The "lesser brands" are depending on gadgets to overshadow their vehicles' shortcomings, and there are a great many of us who have no use for them. I just don't think BMW needs to "keep up", because the majority of BMW buyers likely don't consider the gadget factor to be a major buying decision point.

Driving experience stinks when you get lost.

The MyBMW Remote iOS app with Google send-to-car feature is ridiculously handy. Especially for finding directions to someplace vague, like an airport (never a good street address associated with it), or even something like the closest Starbucks.

If BMW can't keep up in areas like this, competitors like Audi are ready to jump right in. Don't think that BMW wouldn't lose sales over handy features like this.

[roundel335]

I've got a Garmin 2955 to handle navigation, which isn't dependent on being "in range" of a cell tower. It does all the things you mention plus I can just talk to it instead of playing with a touch-screen or iDrive controller.

The problem with the onboard NAV system is that it's too expensive to start with and the updates are costly and infrequent. If they'd cut the price in half and provide at least quarterly updates to the maps plus traffic alerts at no extra cost, now THAT would be something I'd buy.

[Yobyot]

Originally Posted by SamS

Driving experience stinks when you get lost.

The MyBMW Remote iOS app with Google send-to-car feature is ridiculously handy. Especially for finding directions to someplace vague, like an airport (never a good street address associated with it), or even something like the closest Starbucks.

If BMW can't keep up in areas like this, competitors like Audi are ready to jump right in. Don't think that BMW wouldn't lose sales over handy features like this.

Completely agree. The reason that laggards like GM and Ford have bet the farm on telematics is that customers want it. That's also why a "stunted" iDrive is standard in an F30. E90 buyers will remember that iDrive was an option -- if you didn't get it, you didn't have a "double binnacle" dash.

BMW wouldn't go to the expense of putting iDrive in every F30 if they didn't think it differentiated the cars.

"Purists," --sniff, sniff -- who "have no use" for telematics are yesterday's buyers. As "Wired" said recently, today's cars have wheels mostly to keep the computers from scraping the ground.

I love my car precisely because it's so digital. And I don't want "yesterday's" telematics any more than I want bias-ply tires.

[SamS]

Originally Posted by roundel335

I've got a Garmin 2955 to handle navigation, which isn't dependent on being "in range" of a cell tower. It does all the things you mention plus I can just talk to it instead of playing with a touch-screen or iDrive controller.

The problem with the onboard NAV system is that it's too expensive to start with and the updates are costly and infrequent. If they'd cut the price in half and provide at least quarterly updates to the maps plus traffic alerts at no extra cost, now THAT would be something I'd buy.

Let me know when your Garmin has Heads Up Display, and you don't have to worry about someone smashing your window when you leave the car.

[Yobyot]

Originally Posted by roundel335

I've got a Garmin 2955 to handle navigation, which isn't dependent on being "in range" of a cell tower. It does all the things you mention plus I can just talk to it instead of playing with a touch-screen or iDrive controller.

The problem with the onboard NAV system is that it's too expensive to start with and the updates are costly and infrequent. If they'd cut the price in half and provide at least quarterly updates to the maps plus traffic alerts at no extra cost, now THAT would be something I'd buy.

iDrive Nav doesn't use cell towers; it uses GPS -- and features a better antenna (the shark fin on the roof) than is available in handheld GPSs.

That's one reason recomputing routes is so fast in iDrive Nav. With the HUD, if I vary off the route, route recalculation is almost instantaneous.

[TheObviousChild]

Originally Posted by alex2364

When did iOS and Siri become the end all and be all for infotainment systems? 70% of people uses something other than a iPhone.

+1

[shabadoo25]

I had the opportunity to test drive the new Ford Fusion a couple of weeks back. It basically has an iPad in the middle of the dash with a lot of neat features. I like being able to see local doppler radar in the car.

Driving purists may scoff, but this is the direction in which it is all headed folks.

[protocolor]

the thing i really dont like is the segmentation in bmw options. segmenting out a2dp bluetooth and usb audio with some requiring y cables and others not is just ridiculous.

[shivaswrath]

that's why I didn't get APP's, seem to cause more issues and I wouldn't be able to split screen with the data I want.

Right now, with enhanced BT, I can see my songs from my iPhone via Pandora or songs on it. I'm happy with that.

[The X Men]

Will the Siri app work with my 10 year old flip phone?

[alex2364]

Originally Posted by roundel335

I've got a Garmin 2955 to handle navigation, which isn't dependent on being "in range" of a cell tower. It does all the things you mention plus I can just talk to it instead of playing with a touch-screen or iDrive controller.

The problem with the onboard NAV system is that it's too expensive to start with and the updates are costly and infrequent. If they'd cut the price in half and provide at least quarterly updates to the maps plus traffic alerts at no extra cost, now THAT would be something I'd buy.

A handheld GPS will never be as good as a built-in system. You have to worry about thiefs smashing your window and stealing it or hiding it in your glove box after every use. It's not integrated with the car so it won't mute your music if it needs to talk. You obviously have never used navigation on an iDrive cause you can talk to it just like a Garmin and you can use Google Maps to send an address to the car so there's rarely any need to talk to it. Plus traffic alerts are free so I don't know what you're talking about.

[Heiznberg]

Originally Posted by alex2364

When did iOS and Siri become the end all and be all for infotainment systems? 70% of people uses something other than a iPhone.

I'd be willing to bet that well over half of BMW owners use iPhone.

[jrortiz]

Originally Posted by SamS

Should be coming, soon.

Will we get it via update or will be for the new iDrive?

[SamS]

Originally Posted by jrortiz

Will we get it via update or will be for the new iDrive?

Impossible to say, at this point. When Apple demo'd it, they used an F10 interior. The F10 (at the time of the demo) of course had the "new" NBT Nav available. So a simple update should add Siri to any car with the NBT Nav. The CIC Nav? I guess it is a 50/50 shot.