[JohnnyCanuck]

As us Android users know, BMW operates like we should just be happy to be able to lock our cars remotely and thinking like we should have anything else is just greedy.

I need a solution that let's me browse podcasts from iDrive and has Spotify integration. Not too much to ask, but it seems it is. In BC, touching your phone is $368 plus 4 points for a first offense and cops are frequently out in force doing "distracted driver checks".

You would think iDrive would be of assistance, but Spotify integration's been broken for months (and never updating it really isn't a solution) and there is no podcast app that works. iPod's aren't a solution because the only podcast app with BMW integration is Stitcher, which basically sucks and doesn't have a 30 second skip functions.

On a flyer a few months ago I picked up an iPhone 5s on craigslist for $80 but after playing with it for a few minutes and not getting it quite right, set it aside. Decided to try again and ... got it working fairly well.

A while back I installed a iDrive 6 Retrofit from CodeMyBimmer (https://www.2addicts.com/forums/show...php?t=1536007&)
Decided to connect the iPhone as a CarPlay device. Set my Pixel 3 to "Additional Phone" in the "Manage Mobile Devices" menu. Paid $5 for the iOS version of Pocket Casts (already have the Android and web player versions so the cross platform sync is worth it for me).

The result? I have the ability to browse my Spotify library as if BMW/Spotify hadn't broken the integration months ago. I can browse and play podcasts from iDrive and have 30 second skip. I even get podcast album art. I can still use BMW navigation. My Pixel 3 texts and receives text fine. And as long as I remember to hit option on iDrive to tell it to dial from the Pixel, I can make calls no problem.

A couple of notes: CarPlay uses the iPhone WiFi so I can't tether it to my Pixel for internet. Since I would love to integrate Waze (for obvious "warning" reasons as well, I may go find a month to month tablet plan with a couple of gigs of data for the iPhone. It would also let me then get internet radio which is the one thing missing from this setup. My carrier does not do data sharing, but it's not worth switching as a I have a smoking deal (10GB/unlimited/unlimited for $39). Fido has a 3GB tablet plan for $15 that I am thinking about but you're supposed to already be a Fido customer and I'm not.

Since I leave my glove box and centre console open overnight with nothing in them to deter thieves. I put a Scoche magicmount magnet underneath the dash (under the headlight switch) and just slap the iPhone on it and it's completely hidden. I've ordered a magnetic lightning cable from Amazon so I can add a quick connect charging setup for long drives.

Not ideal, but $110 later I have far more functionality than before and my frustration level is dropped a couple of notches.