Getting Emails, SMS, & Apps on Aussie BMW's

[watrob]

Ok, I now can get emails & messages on my X5's iDrive, they popup when they arrive on my iPhone and appear in iDrive automatically, I can read them etc or push play to have the iDrive read them out (this is not BMW Apps). This is controlled by the iPhone and only works with a 4S and you must have IOS 6 (no cradle is required), this IOS will be availaible in the Spring here to the general public.

Also have orderred the special cradle for the BMW Apps, has to come from overseas as its not standard spare part here in Australia.

If your current model BMW (build date after March 2011) has 6NF & 6FL & 6VC (combo Box) which most vehicles comming to Aust now have (you can tell by if you have Office & Internet in iDrive), The other way is by checking the VIN number which lists what hardware you have.

To activate 'BMW Apps" you need the option code 6NR downloaded into your vehicle plus the special cradle. BMW sells 6NR for $570.00 but won't allow it into Australia (95% of the world gets it but not us) plus $200 for the cradle, plus they would charge you to upload it if they were allowed to, so it would cost over $1,000.

A lot on members here are doing a little coding to the vehicles, turning features on or off, this cannot be done this way. To obtain 6NR code a new FSC code which uses your VIN number has to be generated, this is applied and the 6NR code sent thru, hence BMW controls that which requires specialised equipment and won't sell this udate to us here.

The requirment of a FSC has happenned since the main firware revision in your BMW after March 2011 has past v2.43.0, current version is v2.46.5, so a FSC code is needed.

So you need tech with BMW knowledge with the right equipment who has European connections that code BMW's on a daily bases and know what they are doing. Well I found one in Brisbane and together have organised the above via the European company. The proper 6NR code with FSC plus cradle for around the $700 (which includes the cradle), this may even come down further.

If you search BMW Apps you will see its a great program to have on your iDrive, it virtually turns the iDrive into the front screen of your iPhone. BMW Live, BMW Connected, BMW Remote, if you search these items you will see what the US, UK, Canada & Europe have that we don't.

I am not a vendor and have been on this forum for many years and I receive no benefit from the above. I only wanted to have Apps and simply done all the research, I am just passing on the info should you require Apps in your BMW, this applies to a large cross sections of BMW vehicles, not just for the X5.

PM me, if your interested, this applies to Brisbane, Gold & Sunshine coast's. I suppose if enough owners wanted this from interstate a trip to the Melb & Syd could be arrange, but need to comfirm that.

[LeMansX5]

How do you have iOS 6. Are you a Apple developer or beta tester?
In US iOS is releasing this fall.
Apple - iOS 6 Preview

[watrob]

Originally Posted by LeMansX5

How do you have iOS 6. Are you a Apple developer or beta tester?
In US iOS is releasing this fall.
Apple - iOS 6 Preview

I had a IT company and still have the contact with my ex developers & programmers.

Its good that IOS 6 works with the iDrive and the 4S iPhone (mail & sms), (iPhone 4 and below will run IOS 6 but will not intergrate with the iDrive) and when iPhone 5 comes out there is a rumor that it will have a USB connection. Whether it does or doesn't it will probably require a new snap-in cradle and they will take months to get developed by BMW.

[Barney Rubble]

thanks for the post, picking up a demo X5 07/11 build next week, so may be interested in this.
Scott

[watrob]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

thanks for the post, picking up a demo X5 07/11 build next week, so may be interested in this.
Scott

Make sure you logon to BMW.com, put the last 7 digits of your VIN in and get the Bluetooth firmware upgrade so you have the lastest bluetooth version, it's free.

Put it on a usb stick, put it in the centre console usb port and on the idrive under settings tick update firmware.

My X5 was May 2012 build date and it had the old version in it!

[Barney Rubble]

thanks for the tip.
Noticed you have DAB, and TV. Worthwhile additions?

[watrob]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

thanks for the tip.
Noticed you have DAB, and TV. Worthwhile additions?

Yes, love the DAB+, TV is for the news sometimes.

But being able to now get Pandora is jsu as good as DAB+

[Barney Rubble]

are TV and DAB+ able to be an upgrade or do they have to be factory fitted?

[watrob]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

are TV and DAB+ able to be an upgrade or do they have to be factory fitted?

I think TV can as it uses the sharkfin antenna, DAB+ is a little harder as the antenna is in the back window? I am not a 100% sure, I thinkd in the Australian Thread a few days back someone was trying to do a retrofit?

[Barney Rubble]

thanks