2012 F30 Bluetooth Question

Hi
Hope you guys can help.
I have a UK 2012 F30, it has the standard Bluetooth, no business sat nav etc but the option to hook upto 3 or 4 bluetooth devices.
Got my iPhone connected and works just as it should, just bought a Nexus 7 to use as sat nav and was hoping that the audio/nav instructions would play through the car system when it was paied to the car but it appears not.
Am I doing something wrong, when I use the sat nav on my iphone the audio comes through the car system but not when my tablet is connected and paired it doesn't!!! Is the BMW bluetooth system for phones only?
Hope you can help.
Peter

Originally Posted by retepnikrap

Hi
Hope you guys can help.
I have a UK 2012 F30, it has the standard Bluetooth, no business sat nav etc but the option to hook upto 3 or 4 bluetooth devices.
Got my iPhone connected and works just as it should, just bought a Nexus 7 to use as sat nav and was hoping that the audio/nav instructions would play through the car system when it was paied to the car but it appears not.
Am I doing something wrong, when I use the sat nav on my iphone the audio comes through the car system but not when my tablet is connected and paired it doesn't!!! Is the BMW bluetooth system for phones only?
Hope you can help.
Peter

Which audio mode the iDrive is set to when the iPhone Nav audio comes through?

Originally Posted by Technic

Which audio mode the iDrive is set to when the iPhone Nav audio comes through?

My iPhone is paired as a 'telephone' doesn't seem to be another option when pairing.
When I paired my tablet it appears I only have the option to pair as a 'telephone'. The tablet device pairs OK but no audio through the system. I am beginning to think whatever I do it won't work. Maybe I have the wrong bluetooth option on the car to make this work.
Peter

Originally Posted by retepnikrap

My iPhone is paired as a 'telephone' doesn't seem to be another option when pairing.
When I paired my tablet it appears I only have the option to pair as a 'telephone'. The tablet device pairs OK but no audio through the system. I am beginning to think whatever I do it won't work. Maybe I have the wrong bluetooth option on the car to make this work.
Peter

There is no Bluetooth Audio in your iDrive, so you should be hearing the iPhone audio via the USB. Are you connecting the Nexus 7 via USB as well as pairing it via Bluetooth?

Originally Posted by Technic

There is no Bluetooth Audio in your iDrive, so you should be hearing the iPhone audio via the USB. Are you connecting the Nexus 7 via USB as well as pairing it via Bluetooth?

I have bluetooth, iPhone is paired with it, no USB. The system allows me to pair via bluetooth 4 devices, as I said my tablet pairs OK (No USB) but the audio does not come through the car system. This is the standard telephone bluetooth prep and not the business package I have to assume that it only plays audio through the system from mobile phones and not tablets.

Originally Posted by retepnikrap

I have bluetooth, iPhone is paired with it, no USB. The system allows me to pair via bluetooth 4 devices, as I said my tablet pairs OK (No USB) but the audio does not come through the car system. This is the standard telephone bluetooth prep and not the business package I have to assume that it only plays audio through the system from mobile phones and not tablets.

There is no Bluetooth Audio in your car.

The thing is that there should not be any sound coming from your iPhone via the OEM speakers unless the iDrive audio source is the iPhone (and only via USB or while in a phone call). If anything that should be what is defective and not your Nexus 7 as its audio and the iDrive are functioning correctly.

Just speculation (because all F30s in the US have Business iDrive standard) but I think your original assumption is correct; it only works with phones.

Originally Posted by retepnikrap

I have bluetooth, iPhone is paired with it, no USB. The system allows me to pair via bluetooth 4 devices, as I said my tablet pairs OK (No USB) but the audio does not come through the car system. This is the standard telephone bluetooth prep and not the business package I have to assume that it only plays audio through the system from mobile phones and not tablets.

To perhaps clarify, there are two Bluetooth protocols in BMW's depending on which options you have:

Bluetooth Protocol: Connects you for phone calls.

Bluetooth Audio Protocol: Connects you for phone calls as well as streaming audio.

So this has nothing to do with tablets vs. smartphones. Without the BMW Assist w/Enhanced Bluetooth and USB feature, you don't have the Bluetooth Audio protocol, and thus you can't stream wireless audio.

BJ

What is confusing is that the OP is talking about "when I use the sat nav on my iphone the audio comes through the car system". Which I infer as being something like selecting Google Maps in the iPhone and somehow listening to the spoken directions via the car speakers using standard Bluetooth.

The only way that any audio from the iPhone that is not music can be heard via the car speakers without Bluetooth Audio is either during a phone call or having the iPhone connected via the USB, USB source selected, and then audio will go thru the speakers, including apps that generate audio via the USB, alerts and beeps.

Originally Posted by Technic

What is confusing is that the OP is talking about "when I use the sat nav on my iphone the audio comes through the car system". Which I infer as being something like selecting Google Maps in the iPhone and somehow listening to the spoken directions via the car speakers using standard Bluetooth.

The only way that any audio from the iPhone that is not music can be heard via the car speakers without Bluetooth Audio is either during a phone call or having the iPhone connected via the USB, USB source selected, and then audio will go thru the speakers, including apps that generate audio via the USB, alerts and beeps.

Gotcha. I thought he was talking about steaming music, not inadvertent streaming of "app sound" through USB.

Question: So in a car without Bluetooth Audio, if one engages Siri which the F30 views as a phone call, a) does Siri even work and b) if so, does it connect to the mic/speakers?

BJ

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

Gotcha. I thought he was talking about steaming music, not inadvertent streaming of "app sound" through USB.

Question: So in a car without Bluetooth Audio, if one engages Siri which the F30 views as a phone call, a) does Siri even work and b) if so, does it connect to the mic/speakers?

BJ

I thought that you tried some Siri trick in your car and make it somewhat work via the speakers...

The next big iDrive update should be Siri activation via the phone button at the steering wheel, though.

Originally Posted by Technic

I thought that you tried some Siri trick in your car and make it somewhat work via the speakers...

The next big iDrive update should be Siri activation via the phone button at the steering wheel, though.

It's no trick- with BMW Assist w/EB+USB it just works. Press + hold the iPhone 'home' button, wait for the 'ding', you're in a Siri experience over the iDrive speakers.

What I don't know is for cars without BMW Assist w/EB+USB does Siri work the same way. Doesn't matter to me as I have that feature, just thinking someone will ask once Apple and BMW release the integrated solution.

BJ

Originally Posted by boltjaM3s

It's no trick- with BMW Assist w/EB+USB it just works. Press + hold the iPhone 'home' button, wait for the 'ding', you're in a Siri experience over the iDrive speakers.

What I don't know is for cars without BMW Assist w/EB+USB does Siri work the same way. Doesn't matter to me as I have that feature, just thinking someone will ask once Apple and BMW release the integrated solution.

BJ

It works the same, as long as the audio source selected is USB or Bluetooth Audio for the sound to be piped thru the OEM speakers.

If Bluetooth is enabled and the iPhone is paired then the OEM mic is used, as the iPhone is doing a phone "call" once Siri is activated -you will see your iPhone phone number in the iDrive display like you are making a phone call to yourself.

If Bluetooth is disabled, then the iPhone mic will be used. No phone "call" will be made.

Given that Siri works like a phone, then BJ's post is right. The bluetooth standards in question here are telephone and audio. Without enhanced bluetooth (i.e. audio), then only the telephone protocol is used. I think OPs Nexus 7 pairs with the phone protocol only (seems silly, but it makes sense for things like Skype).

Originally Posted by WaxComb

Given that Siri works like a phone, then BJ's post is right. The bluetooth standards in question here are telephone and audio. Without enhanced bluetooth (i.e. audio), then only the telephone protocol is used. I think OPs Nexus 7 pairs with the phone protocol only (seems silly, but it makes sense for things like Skype).

Siri works via OEM speakers regardless of Bluetooth pairing or not, as long as the USB audio source is selected. Otherwise there is no sound thru the OEM speakers.

That's the thing that it is confusing in this thread. Somehow and apparently, at least a sat nav app in the OP's iPhone can be heard thru the OEM speakers just using standard Bluetooth -no USB.

Originally Posted by Technic

It works the same, as long as the audio source selected is USB or Bluetooth Audio for the sound to be piped thru the OEM speakers.

If Bluetooth is enabled and the iPhone is paired then the OEM mic is used, as the iPhone is doing a phone "call" once Siri is activated -you will see your iPhone phone number in the iDrive display like you are making a phone call to yourself.

If Bluetooth is disabled, then the iPhone mic will be used. No phone "call" will be made.

Makes sense.

I use Siri in my F30 all the time. I don't even bother with the Office stuff for text messages either because with Siri she can read the text to me, let me compose a response, and let me send it all with my voice and without taking my eyes off the road.

Same for stock quotes, sports scores, weather, appointments, email composition, post to Facebook, post to Twitter, etc.

All one has to do is Press + Hold the home button, wait for the Siri "ding", and then say something like "what's the score of the New York Rangers game?" and she'll answer you immediately. To end the Siri session, merely tap the backlight button on the top edge of the iPhone.

A list of all Siri commands is here:

http://www.windowstablet.tv/iphone/8...siri-commands/

Give it a try. It's like an unexpected F30 surprise.

BJ