[MikeDee]

BLUF: No real added value. Save your money.

After almost a year of researching, waiting, and asking when the illusive iPhone 6 Snap-in Adapter would be available for my 2015 BMW M235i, the time has come to provide you vital information on this $296.73 decision.


LET'S DIG IN:
As of this review, this is not available for order on the BMW accessory website. Must call dealer directly with the part number and they will special order it.


Your BMW MUST have the "Enhanced USB and Bluetooth Plus Smartphone Integration" option from build - this option CANNOT be added on after. If your center console looks like this, you are good to go:



In order to take advantage of "increased cell reception through car antenna," you must ditch any CASE you have installed. Already off to a bad start, I know. This means the BOOST IS PASSIVE. Here is the insert from the box... designed for a 5 yr. old:


In addition, the lightening connector is a thick right angle into the phone, preventing a connection anyway if you are not interested in a cell boost.


Do you love your case? Here's an option: Buy a "dock extender" cable for $25. Now this adapter basically becomes useless since you're back to having a cable run from the adapter to your cup holder - something you did using the USB port in the arm rest.



My iPhone 6 is now naked again, this adapter simply snaps into place with a lightening cable hanging out the end. The plastic clip that holds your phone in place comes detached easily. The cradle does not have a tight grip on your phone, but should be enough nonetheless.






The adapter has a little fan activated by a rubber pressure switch to help keep the phone cool.


Now for the fun part,
The SOUND of audio, including streaming music services is about 3 times better than Bluetooth. You'll be able to tell the difference with all the time you waste switching back and forth between the two, let me explain. When connected via adapter, music is sent through USB (better sound), however when using music services like Pandora, your only option using iDrive is to song skip. BMW Connected USES BLUETOOTH. So when you go over to BMW Connected in iDrive, your sound will switch over to Bluetooth and now you have the other controls - like CHANGE STATION - then switch back to USB audio for better sound. Your iPhone will tell you "Only one accessory can be used at a time."

Notice the connection icon, this is playing music off iPhone 6 storage:

So let's turn on Pandora... on the phone in the center console:

With the known iPhone 6 problem with iDrive, sound stops. The fix is to switch to another audio source like radio, then back and it comes on again. Here is what I have now playing Pandora through the adapter:

UH OH, I want to change stations to say Dub Step Radio. I can't use my phone since it's in the console and the BMW Connected screen won't let me access the Pandora App. I must go through Connected Drive:

Awesome. Sound quality is cut in half as it switched over to Bluetooth audio, now I have the other Pandora controls.

But I want better audio, so I'll go back to the USB audio and it switches over and I notice a sound improvement.

Final Words:
I will use this for road trips, that's about it. You can get a 4 inch lightning cable and just connect to the USB already there with your phone loose in the center console... at least you get to keep your case on.

I don't see any real added benefit to spending $300 on the Apple Universal Snap-in Adapter. Buy me a $3 beer instead, I'm in Omaha, NE - cheers!

~MikeDee

[Viffermike]

Yup. Just as I thought.

Nice review - particularly the portion on the USB/BT bug, which has been discussed before but not with the visual aids. Somewhat of the same thing happens with Spotify, though once the phone resets iDrive through BMW Apps, the USB connection and service functionality stay on -- until you shut off the car, which requires you to completely re-establish Spotify on BMW Apps when you start the car again. Maddening.

[skeeedunt]

Thanks for the thorough review, I agree it sounds rather disappointing all things considered. I'm a dumb sucker for "docks" too, I would buy the overpriced white Apple docks back in the day, even though they weren't really terribly more convenient that having a cable laying there. Too bad this one isn't so much a dock, as a thing you put your phone on, and then plug it in. Then again if it takes BMW a year and half to come out with a real clicky dock, I suppose it's just as well.

Anyway, sounds like I'll just have a useless and un-removeable plastic lump in my center console. Oh well. Maybe I can turn it into a Starbucks Dock and keep my coffee there.

[BarryJI]

It certainly is an extravagance and you are absolutely right about the messy, complex integration of apps and device functionality with iDrive. However, just to be fair, my $250 dock for the iPhone 5 is a proper, fitted cradle without that ugly clip and with an integrated, no-fuss Lightning connection. I like it because it does not cut off the other iPhone/iDrive functions that I can use the screen to monitor, sometimes I quite like the phone to be out of sight, I can pop the case off very easily and it means I do not have to run wires from the phone to an available USB port. However, it is expensive and a bit of an indulgence.

[shark715]

Mike, would I be correct in assuming that the adapter will not work with an Iphone 6+, simply because it's larger and won't fit? Thanks.

[MikeDee]

Originally Posted by shark715

Mike, would I be correct in assuming that the adapter will not work with an Iphone 6+, simply because it's larger and won't fit? Thanks.

Looks like it might work. Next time I get a friend over here with a 6+ I'll give it a shot and post pictures.

~Mike

[Viffermike]

Originally Posted by shark715

Mike, would I be correct in assuming that the adapter will not work with an Iphone 6+, simply because it's larger and won't fit? Thanks.

I run a 6 Plus, and it fits in the area like a glove without the adapter -- though thicker cases change that toward the end nearest the iDrive controller. Seems to me that since the adapter doesn't add width, it should fit without issues.

[thb229]

Hello guys. My 2016 M235i xDrive is just a few weeks old so it was on the lot with the enhanced $350 option installed. I too am a sucker for dock hook ups so I bought one. Previously I had one in my 2015 X1 with the 5s. Got rid of the X1 with the Takata airbag reacall. Might take until 2018 to get all 240 million switched out. People have already been killed by metal flying at them when the airbag deployed. 2 weeks before I got my 2 a 16 year old girl in Florida USA was killed in a Honda with the same recall. Hence my dealer and BMW USA took care of me and now I love my 2. Sorry to off topic. It fit perfectly and worked as advertised. However important it is to you, I could then get the artwork on the display with this snap in. Now, even with bluetooth, I can get the album artwork. Oh well. They also claim that you should have improved phone reception in many cases. On my 2015 X1 it did help out in some "dead areas" by me. I just added it to the 2 because the spot was already wired for it. I still don't know what bluetooth enhancements are included with this option. I cannot figure that one out. Supposedly, out of the cradle of coarse, there is bluetooth enhancement. Has it to do with compression of the files? I just don't know. Anyway I got the snap in and could have probably done without it. I cannot see me attaching it every time I go out. I am fairly neutral on it's effectiveness/need. It looks good and keeps holder and wires out of the way, even if you're just charging. Cheers

[Japseroony]

Hi Guys

Stupid question but is there not a cable that you can buy that goes from the phone directly to the connection under the dummy cradle i.e. take the dummy cradle out and there is a plug/connection under there that the snap in would connect to, so use that with the correct connection and run that to the phone?

I have just bought an M5 with the app/message/office facility but dont wish to use the iphone 6 snap in for the reasons MikeDee has mentioned i.e. I use a phone cover but I would like the other functions available.

Cheers.

[GoSlow2GoFast]

Originally Posted by Japseroony

Hi Guys

Stupid question but is there not a cable that you can buy that goes from the phone directly to the connection under the dummy cradle i.e. take the dummy cradle out and there is a plug/connection under there that the snap in would connect to, so use that with the correct connection and run that to the phone?

I have just bought an M5 with the app/message/office facility but dont wish to use the iphone 6 snap in for the reasons MikeDee has mentioned i.e. I use a phone cover but I would like the other functions available.

Cheers.

Japseroony,

Did you have any luck locating such a cable?

~bp

[Japseroony]

Originally Posted by GoSlow2GoFast

Japseroony,

Did you have any luck locating such a cable?

~bp

No sign of one or even an indication there is one, sorry

[ZPrime]

Is it not possible to just stick a USB to lightning adapter in one of the normal USB ports?

[JohnnyCanuck]

I did this: http://www.2addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1298958

Pulled out the snap-in cradle and replaced it with a mat and then converted it to a USB port.

[aeneal]

Originally Posted by MikeDee

BLUF: No real added value. Save your money.

After almost a year of researching, waiting, and asking when the illusive iPhone 6 Snap-in Adapter would be available for my 2015 BMW M235i, the time has come to provide you vital information on this $296.73 decision.


LET'S DIG IN:
As of this review, this is not available for order on the BMW accessory website. Must call dealer directly with the part number and they will special order it.


Your BMW MUST have the "Enhanced USB and Bluetooth Plus Smartphone Integration" option from build - this option CANNOT be added on after. If your center console looks like this, you are good to go:



In order to take advantage of "increased cell reception through car antenna," you must ditch any CASE you have installed. Already off to a bad start, I know. This means the BOOST IS PASSIVE. Here is the insert from the box... designed for a 5 yr. old:


In addition, the lightening connector is a thick right angle into the phone, preventing a connection anyway if you are not interested in a cell boost.


Do you love your case? Here's an option: Buy a "dock extender" cable for $25. Now this adapter basically becomes useless since you're back to having a cable run from the adapter to your cup holder - something you did using the USB port in the arm rest.



My iPhone 6 is now naked again, this adapter simply snaps into place with a lightening cable hanging out the end. The plastic clip that holds your phone in place comes detached easily. The cradle does not have a tight grip on your phone, but should be enough nonetheless.






The adapter has a little fan activated by a rubber pressure switch to help keep the phone cool.


Now for the fun part,
The SOUND of audio, including streaming music services is about 3 times better than Bluetooth. You'll be able to tell the difference with all the time you waste switching back and forth between the two, let me explain. When connected via adapter, music is sent through USB (better sound), however when using music services like Pandora, your only option using iDrive is to song skip. BMW Connected USES BLUETOOTH. So when you go over to BMW Connected in iDrive, your sound will switch over to Bluetooth and now you have the other controls - like CHANGE STATION - then switch back to USB audio for better sound. Your iPhone will tell you "Only one accessory can be used at a time."

Notice the connection icon, this is playing music off iPhone 6 storage:

So let's turn on Pandora... on the phone in the center console:

With the known iPhone 6 problem with iDrive, sound stops. The fix is to switch to another audio source like radio, then back and it comes on again. Here is what I have now playing Pandora through the adapter:

UH OH, I want to change stations to say Dub Step Radio. I can't use my phone since it's in the console and the BMW Connected screen won't let me access the Pandora App. I must go through Connected Drive:

Awesome. Sound quality is cut in half as it switched over to Bluetooth audio, now I have the other Pandora controls.

But I want better audio, so I'll go back to the USB audio and it switches over and I notice a sound improvement.

Final Words:
I will use this for road trips, that's about it. You can get a 4 inch lightning cable and just connect to the USB already there with your phone loose in the center console... at least you get to keep your case on.

I don't see any real added benefit to spending $300 on the Apple Universal Snap-in Adapter. Buy me a $3 beer instead, I'm in Omaha, NE - cheers!

~MikeDee

MikeDee thank you for your help with this snap-in adapter review. I purchased this adapter only to find out that I needed the Enhanced Blue Tooth to mount the adapter in. The picture for this part is misleading. Your post shows what your center console should look like if you want the snap-in adapter to work. Seems like it is a headache to use. Needless to say, I'm sending this adapter back. Thanks for your post MikeDee