[AleksanderSuave]

Odd feature (or maybe I'm missing something).

Music, pandora, all functions work VIA usb, except for phone calls..which require bluetooth connection.

Is this accurate?

My truck's carplay works 100% through usb, so its basically the polar opposite of this.

[AndDown]

That’s how both of current bimmers behave.

[AleksanderSuave]

very odd. kind of a pain to have to leave bluetooth odd, while plugged into usb for higher source audio..

[AndDown]

Originally Posted by AleksanderSuave

very odd. kind of a pain to have to leave bluetooth odd, while plugged into usb for higher source audio..

My Bluetooth auto connects to my phone as soon as the ignition is turned on. I’ve never turned it on or off manually. It’s supposed to sync with whichever fob/driver is being used.

[CP911]

Originally Posted by AleksanderSuave

very odd. kind of a pain to have to leave bluetooth odd, while plugged into usb for higher source audio..

How so? I would think it is an advantage to have BT audio (music and phone) working as soon as you start the car without having to plug anything in or even take the phone out of your pocket. What is the point of having the redundant hardwired connection?

Also, I've never tried, but what happens with CarPlay if a passenger plugs in their phone to charge it? I'm thinking if CarPlay works for the passenger, the BT priority would also prevent a passenger from stealing the hands-free operation, which they should never have.

Lastly, CarPlay is silly and I've found no use for it even though my wife's last 2 cars have had it. Having text messages pop up on-screen is a hazard and no better than texting and driving. Bluetooth audio gives me everything I need without having to stare at a screen. As if I'm not on my iPhone enough when not driving! Don't care to see my apps when I'm trying to enjoy the drive.

[AleksanderSuave]

Originally Posted by CP911

How so? I would think it is an advantage to have BT audio (music and phone) working as soon as you start the car without having to plug anything in or even take the phone out of your pocket. What is the point of having the redundant hardwired connection?

Also, I've never tried, but what happens with CarPlay if a passenger plugs in their phone to charge it? I'm thinking if CarPlay works for the passenger, the BT priority would also prevent a passenger from stealing the hands-free operation, which they should never have.

Lastly, CarPlay is silly and I've found no use for it even though my wife's last 2 cars have had it. Having text messages pop up on-screen is a hazard and no better than texting and driving. Bluetooth audio gives me everything I need without having to stare at a screen. As if I'm not on my iPhone enough when not driving! Don't care to see my apps when I'm trying to enjoy the drive.

There's no advantage to BT audio if you want higher quality audio (through USB)

the only advantage is truly wireless syncing. I prefer the USB connection because it still seems to charge faster than the wireless charger in the arm rest.

Also..the question you've asked is correct, If someone plugs in a second phone to charge through USB, the car defaults to that connection...thus the BT connection is forced out.

I dont care for the text messaging, I just like using Waze GPS and having higher quality source audio.

[morphomeman]

I agree that the bluetooth telephone connection can be annoying when using a navigation app. But there is a great advantage to not having to hard-connect the phone to the car. This morning, I went out to meet someone a few minutes away and did not bother to take my phone out of my pocket (OK,OK, I forgot!). He called while I was on my way and the call went straight to the car speaker. That ain't gonna happen if you use a hard connection by default.
The whole purpose of BT is to give you a short-distance automatic seamless wireless connection. It does many things well.
As for audio fidelity, no wireless connection has the bandwidth for it. Wired is always better, which is why I use only wired speakers at home.

[CP911]

Also, what is your source for the audio? Everyone is using Apple Music, Spotify, etc. these days and all of that is going to be in the form of a lossy codec anyhow. Unless BMW's Bluetooth does not support modern audio codec transmission, can you really hear the difference between wired and wireless anyhow? I think most of the time it's placebo effect, so unless you've benched both scenarios for quality/data loss, I'd just quit worrying about it and jam on.

[blahpoopy]

This is how my car functions as well.

[AleksanderSuave]

Originally Posted by CP911

Also, what is your source for the audio? Everyone is using Apple Music, Spotify, etc. these days and all of that is going to be in the form of a lossy codec anyhow. Unless BMW's Bluetooth does not support modern audio codec transmission, can you really hear the difference between wired and wireless anyhow? I think most of the time it's placebo effect, so unless you've benched both scenarios for quality/data loss, I'd just quit worrying about it and jam on.

Its not really necessary to bench bluetooth vs USB to know that the wired source will create higher quality output.

[CP911]

Originally Posted by AleksanderSuave

Its not really necessary to bench bluetooth vs USB to know that the wired source will create higher quality output.

I beg to differ. If the source audio is shite, a wire will only reliably transmit shite quality. It all depends on the audio codec of the source music and whether or not the BT protocols are up to date for transmitting a high enough bit rate to match the source audio codec. Actually, same goes for USB since it's digital transmission and not analog. Just depends on the DAC (digital-to-analog converter) hardware and protocol support BMW is using in their cars. You can Google search plenty of complaints about poor audio quality with both BT and USB connection in BMWs. More often than not, the source of the music we are listening to today is of worse quality than what Bluetooth can physically transmit. For example, iPhone will use AAC codec and Android will use AptX. Modern BT speaker devices can usually support both of these codecs with full bit rate support. Problem is I cannot find anywhere that confirms in detail what codecs BMW's BT can support. All I know is that between the lossy source codec and generally poor audio fidelity from the typical quality car speaker, you are going to get a worse listening experience from those two issues than you will simply because you are transmitting over Bluetooth.

Try listening to satellite radio for a bit and then go listen to your own music through BT audio. You'll see that BT audio isn't quite as bad as you are making it out to be.

[theduke]

Not to re-hash an old thread per se but USB sound quality is far superior so I tend to use that more often. My Iphone X will barely charge with the center console port. Additionally Waze will only play audibly with the USB connection. When attached via bluetooth Waze announcements are just a break in the audio (no voice). I could deal with the crappy Bluetooth audio since I rarely listen to more than podcasts anyway but what gives with Waze? No matter the sound setting it won't play through the system.
'14 M235i Professional Nav, NBT

[Wyldstyle]

Originally Posted by CP911

Lastly, CarPlay is silly and I've found no use for it even though my wife's last 2 cars have had it. Having text messages pop up on-screen is a hazard and no better than texting and driving. Bluetooth audio gives me everything I need without having to stare at a screen. As if I'm not on my iPhone enough when not driving! Don't care to see my apps when I'm trying to enjoy the drive.

Waze!!! I am car shopping now and the lack of CarPlay has been a deal breaker for me on a couple of cars I considered. I use it all the time in my current car and wouldn't go without it at this point. I only rarely use it for texting, but when I do, it will read the message aloud & I can respond in kind, no reading involved.

[AleksanderSuave]

Originally Posted by Wyldstyle

Waze!!! I am car shopping now and the lack of CarPlay has been a deal breaker for me on a couple of cars I considered. I use it all the time in my current car and wouldn't go without it at this point. I only rarely use it for texting, but when I do, it will read the message aloud & I can respond in kind, no reading involved.

it makes a big difference for navigation.

in puerto rico I would have killed for carplay in our rental car..

trying to watch the road, watch the aggressive drivers, pot holes, torrential downpours AND glance at phone screen to see map was a nightmare.

[batuhan1988]

I have a problem with the whole connection to my phone. I like usb conenction because it charges my phone and also there is no delay because of the Bluetooth but when I get call it switches to Bluetooth I guess. Anyways, when I listen music on spotify or my google maps on to go somewhere, after 10-15 mins audio just goes away. Phone is connected but no audio and I have to click connect USB to have sound back. When I am on the phone, facetime or actual phone call, sound never goes away. What could be the problem. I have this issue since I got my car and this is my second phone with this car and I don't think it is the phone.