[JSpira]

Quick look at new capabilities here.

BMW, the first automaker to provide Apple iPod integration and factory Bluetooth capabilities, announced it will add Smartphone Integration (option 6NF) starting with October 2008 production in the X5, X6,1er, 3er, and 6er Series.

[nasdakboy]

Other than the bluetooth since my car doesn't have it, I can already do all those things with my iphone. I have the ipod/USB integration option in my car and my iphone charges through it, I can play my songs in my ipod through it and best of all I can stream music and listen to internet radio through it. I thought it would only work with wi-fi connections but so far it's been working great on AT&T's edge network. Sounds great with the earplugs in, but through the car stereo it's not the best clarity. But it's nice that I can listen to pretty much any available internet radio station I want

[tintivilus]

It sounds like this might just be new snap-in adapters that support USB data instead of just charging. The "play music" part is probably just USB-mass-storage access, and the improving telephone reception part sounds like the usual blurb for the charging snap-ins.

A minor improvement but nice for fit-and-finish. I think I'd prefer a snap-in for an iPhone (or iPod touch maybe??) over the pouch on the center compartment lid.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by tintivilus

It sounds like this might just be new snap-in adapters that support USB data instead of just charging. The "play music" part is probably just USB-mass-storage access, and the improving telephone reception part sounds like the usual blurb for the charging snap-ins.

I'm waiting to get more details - everything I got was very sketchy at this point. But the play music is access via USB but it's separate from the 6FL USB access. Makes for a single connection I suppose - I wonder how it will be controlled in iDrive.

[nasdakboy]

Originally Posted by JSpira

I'm waiting to get more details - everything I got was very sketchy at this point. But the play music is access via USB but it's separate from the 6FL USB access. Makes for a single connection I suppose - I wonder how it will be controlled in iDrive.

That's the only annoying thing about my car. I don't have iDrive which makes it pretty annoying to scroll through the iPod. It would be cool if you could select different streaming radio stations through iDrive

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by nasdakboy

That's the only annoying thing about my car. I don't have iDrive which makes it pretty annoying to scroll through the iPod. It would be cool if you could select different streaming radio stations through iDrive

I have been listening to Net radio stations for several years in the car - quality (as you noted above) is sometimes iffy. That's why I prefer podcasts from radio stations in many cases.

BTW, since you apparently like technology, you shouldn't have ordered your car with the low version of the car's computer - you should have gotten the CCC. The value of the CID's real estate compared to the MID is huge.

[nasdakboy]

Originally Posted by JSpira

I have been listening to Net radio stations for several years in the car - quality (as you noted above) is sometimes iffy. That's why I prefer podcasts from radio stations in many cases.

BTW, since you apparently like technology, you shouldn't have ordered your car with the low version of the car's computer - you should have gotten the CCC. The value of the CID's real estate compared to the MID is huge.

The only thing I really wanted was the ability to listen to my iPod without having to physically scroll through the iPod. I had the auxiliary jack in my previous Mercedes, but found it extrememly distracting to find a song/artist. Internet radio wasn't even a consideration of mine at the time. I really don't know what CCC, CID's and MID's are I have my Garmin navi which I love with bluetooth and to be honest, owing a home here on Long Island and a vacation home in Palm Beach caused me to try and keep the cost of my next vehicle fairly reasonable. However, if I could do it over, I'd get bluetooth, Navi, iDrive, pretty much all that stuff. No biggie however. I only drive about 100 miles a week so my enjoyment is rather limited. I have a mile and a half commute to work each morning

[web1b]

Originally Posted by nasdakboy

The only thing I really wanted was the ability to listen to my iPod without having to physically scroll through the iPod. I had the auxiliary jack in my previous Mercedes, but found it extrememly distracting to find a song/artist. Internet radio wasn't even a consideration of mine at the time. I really don't know what CCC, CID's and MID's are I have my Garmin navi which I love with bluetooth and to be honest, owing a home here on Long Island and a vacation home in Palm Beach caused me to try and keep the cost of my next vehicle fairly reasonable. However, if I could do it over, I'd get bluetooth, Navi, iDrive, pretty much all that stuff. No biggie however. I only drive about 100 miles a week so my enjoyment is rather limited. I have a mile and a half commute to work each morning

People really should make better use of playlists. Set them up before you start driving.
Why fiddle around with trying to find a specific song while driving? Even with iDrive it would be distracting looking at the screen and scrolling through hundreds or thousands of songs.

[Houman21]

Originally Posted by web1b

People really should make better use of playlists. Set them up before you start driving.
Why fiddle around with trying to find a specific song while driving? Even with iDrive it would be distracting looking at the screen and scrolling through hundreds or thousands of songs.

+1

I've got 25,000+ songs on my ipod - I would be a fool if I didn't use playlists.

[Houman21]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Quick look at new capabilities here.

JSpira -

It's hard to discern the differences between the new offering and the current offering based on the link. Anymore specifics? I know that Mercedes just released something similar, but I'm trying to figure out the advantages vs 6FL+Bluetooth. Thanks Man.

[gravediggingaditch]

probably goin to be $500 ?

[KL2DC]

Originally Posted by gravediggingaditch

probably goin to be $500 ?

Its $150 iirc

[vivekk]

Looking forward to hearing more details about 6NF, Jonathan.

Viv

[gravediggingaditch]

Originally Posted by KL2DC

Its $150 iirc

wow - not as bad.
I feel like they've always been super expensive

[apw2607]

Its clear to me. This new option allows the iphone (and devices like it) to use the external shark fin antenna for "better reception".

Although this could be done before, by purchasing the iphone cradle for BMW assist equipped cars, it did prevent you from using the phone as a music source when it was in the cradle. Now this is possible.

In order to spec this new option, you still have to have option 6FL.

BMW should offer this new option as a retrofit option. Quite frankly I dont see why this would not hook into the existing wiring for pre-October 2008 vehicles.

[apw2607]

Perhaps it also better to state the differences feature, by feature for the iPhone.

Option 6FL (and BMW Assist)

1. Allows you to play music through BMW audio system
2. Charges device
3. Leather pouch to store iphone.
4. Full phone integration with BMW audio system

Option 6FL & 6NF (and BMW Assist)

1. Allows you to play music through BMW audio system
2. Charges device
3. Special Cradle to store phone
4. Full phone integration with BMW audio system
5. Uses external sharkfin antenna for better phone reception.
6. No need to use 6FL Y-cable to connect iphone to BMW audio system.

[bsd107]

So, do the E90 LCI's still come with the leather pouch when 6FL is ordered with 6NF? Or even when 6FL is ordered alone? With the removal of the cupholder and replacement with a little storage area "for music players" on the E90 LCI, I'm not clear if the pouch is included any more.

I'd like the option of using 6NF with an iPhone, but having an iPod with huge hard drive in the pouch connected by 6FL is ideal. I can see the pouch being annoying if you are taking the iPod out of the car all the time. But if you are simply leaving it in there all the time, the pouch and cables are pretty neat.


It's too bad that 6FL will get priority when both 6FL and 6NF are connected. I was hoping that you'd be able to choose between either USB device through iDrive....

[apw2607]

You raise some interesting points. Yes, that certainly would be good if you could choose between 6FL and 6NF devices.

I have a 2008 with 6FL and the iPhone cradle. Theres still plenty of room in the storage area for both ... so I would "think" you'll still get both with these new options ......

What annoys me about the current iphone cradle is that BMW could have easily modified it to support it plugging into the existing 6FL connection, as well as the current wiring for charging/external sharkfin antenna.

[bsd107]

Originally Posted by apw2607

What annoys me about the current iphone cradle is that BMW could have easily modified it to support it plugging into the existing 6FL connection, as well as the current wiring for charging/external sharkfin antenna.

Yeah - I don't know why they couldn't make a new wiring harness adapter that you could install, even if you had to disassemble the armrest to do it. Maybe with the new 6NF parts they'll come up with a modification to allow retrofit. Back in the E39 days they'd do this kind of stuff all the time...

I'm also a little disappointed that they aren't using a true wired connection between the iPhone and the car with the new 6NF Smartphone option. I know it'll be using actual wires to connect to the shark fin, power, and USB connection. But I used to have a BMW CPT8000 phone in my E39 (the phone was the same as the Motorola Timeport P8767), and it had essentially identical functionality to the current Bluetooth kit except that ALL the connections between the car and the phone were wired (Bluetooth hadn't been invented yet) - most importantly including the sound signals.
What I have found is that there is no comparison between the sound quality you get from a truly wired phone and using Bluetooth. The modulated and compressed sound, radio interference, etc., that you get over Bluetooth is a definate step down. I understand why they went this route, and it avoids having to get a custom phone for the car, but a true iPhone kit that supported all of the same functions through physical wired connection in the Snap-In adapter would have been better IMHO...

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by apw2607

You raise some interesting points. Yes, that certainly would be good if you could choose between 6FL and 6NF devices.

I have a 2008 with 6FL and the iPhone cradle. Theres still plenty of room in the storage area for both ... so I would "think" you'll still get both with these new options ......

What annoys me about the current iphone cradle is that BMW could have easily modified it to support it plugging into the existing 6FL connection, as well as the current wiring for charging/external sharkfin antenna.

apw2607 did you install the cradle yourself? If so, was it easy?

I wonder what it would take to modify the cradle to support 6FL? I was thinking about that too. It seems like it would just be a matter of routing the proper pins from the dock connector in the cradle over to dock connector on the 6FL iPod cable...

[Houman21]

So is this a new option as of MY 2009? Or is it somewhat backwards compatible?

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by Houman21

So is this a new option as of MY 2009?

Ja

Originally Posted by Houman21

Or is it somewhat backwards compatible?

Nein