They won't get buy-in because car companies don't want their dash looking just like another car company's dash.
Having the same UI on a variable-sized rectangular piece of glass somewhere on your dash is hardly equivalent to having dashes that look "just like" each other. Car companies will buy-in because discriminating iPhone owners will demand it or car-shop elsewhere.
Apple's not designing a car. They are working on CarPlay interface solutions, battery technology, and mapping improvements.
I wish this car thing would die. Distracting.
Certainly a possibility that you are right, maybe even a likelihood. But I wouldn't have expressed the opinion as if I were the fount of all knowledge (like you just did).
M<aybe that's because this time Appele has something to learn from BMW.
You know if you are so bound on Apple products you should understand BMW as it is this same class of manufacturere between car amnufacturers as Apple between those of electronics.
If you drove one for years like I did you would understand better... just like you used youir iPhone or Mac for years (I did both Apple and BMW).
Success in electronics does not translate anyhow in success of cars manufacturing.... especially sporty luxury cars like BMW.
... and most of all - it's a car dummy - not electronic/communication device.
ECU does not need Apple. Somehow Ferrari in Formula 1 in times of their success could even use Windows onboard to comntrol engine (which I bet many of you did not know).
Entertainment is not the key top car drivability - it is an addition to it. And if you think about car control with electronics... well you can do this, but niche drivers that buy some more advanced BMW cars would tell you that they would stop buying it and go elsewhere. BMW sticks to customers very much (if you ever purchased one from them you would know better). It is not the same as Toyota, Honda ora any other popular car.
Gosh, where do I begin. Let me point out a few of the obvious ones:
1) The whole set up is based on scrolling and clicking on TEXT (not images) to get to sub levels or back to super levels. The text is often not user-friendly or in a font size that requires a lot of squinting and taking attention away from the road.
2) Radio. Finding a station by scanning it is not easy at all -- there is no obvious scan function, for example (via the controller). Switching between AM and FM requires moving back a level, then clicking AM/FM/Satellite, then deciding whether one wants the presets (which are not easy to set up except for the limited number available on the dashboard) or scan a station. Even if you set up your presets, it's stored in the order in which you set it, so FM is mixed up with AM is mixed up with Satellite, and often, depending on where you are, you have no idea what pressing on a station number will bring up (since the same number is associated with different stations in different locations).
3) Music. There is no way to scrub a song using a controller (you have to press and hold an arrow button on the dash); the display by the speedometer is limited (and functions differently depending on whether you're using an external device or the internal hard drive); the steering wheel sound functions are limited; there is no way to create playlists on the internal HD; the system does not recognize album names and songs at least a third of the time (even though they're available on CDDB); manually inputing album names is possible only in caps; it is not possible to manually input song names; the screen interface when a song is playing is different for different media -- internal HD (no album image) versus iPod (album image) versus iPhone (no album image); scrolling through playlists on an iPod using the controller is a pain; you cannot see song lists within a playlist if you're using an iPhone (so you have to make your choices on the iPhone rather than via the controller) but you can see songs in a playlist if you're using an iPod or the internal HD; there is no shuffle function; there is no ability to sort the music using user criteria....
4) Voice commands: Absolutely the pits. It only understands set commands, not natural language. For example, I cannot say please call "123-4567." Instead, this is the routine: (i) "Call number" (ii) It responds "Please say the phone number"; (iii) "123-4567" (iv) It responds: "Next?" (v) "Call." If you get a number wrong, asking it to delete or cancel and accept a new number is a total pain. Ugh. It almost never plays me a song with the title I ask for, or calls a number of a contact I ask for from my contact list -- it gets it wrong 90% of the time. It is impossible to send a text message.
5) Navigation....
Oh what the heck. I don't wish to go on. It's too painful.
Actually iDrive is not just primitive. It sucks.
(On the bright side, it is far better than my Audi was, which was far better than my Lexus was.)
I don't know how old your system is, but on my 2014 650, the iDrive infotainment system is fast, the display is very large and high in resolution - there are no issues reading text at all.
The navigation system, which updates over the air form the car's internal cell system, is very accurate, as is the traffic re-routing. I've no issues with voice commands, and often enter addresses by speaking them completely. I can say Dial and speak the number in one sentence and its done.
It syncs messages and mail real time, so I don't have to reach for my phone
and iOS in the Car allows be to access Siri to reply, check a stock price, search for a number. With BMW apps, you can even Play streaming sources into the car.
You can't be serious about some pressing need to create playlists in your car or type out names of songs...I have a iPod Classic or my iPhone 6 either connected to USB or Bluetooth, and everything transfers for me to browse. 99.9% of people would access their iTunes music this way. I've never had issues seeing and browsing songs through the iDrive controller, so I have no idea what you're talking about.
I'm not saying there's couldn't be improvements, but your posting is uniformed and not based on current technology or an understanding of how that technology works. As it is, the controller has direct access to the most common functions:
and the newer models have a touch surface to draw out letters or numbers to reduce your list options quickly
BMW is introducing gestures and some touch in the near future...as long as it doesn't replace the fixed controller, (which is easier and safer to control with your arm resting on the console - regardless of road conditions - rather than bounding around at 70 mph as you stretch to reach a perpetually moving target), I'll be ok with multi-input options for the infotainment.
1) It's a 2013 535xiGT. The screen is the largest that BMW puts out. The iDrive software has barely changed since I bought it (as evidenced by the ones you showed).
2) The question was really about iDrive and the controller, not about how you can get Siri to work if you plug in your iPhone, or what you can do with the iPod, etc (which I talk about in post anyway). Any moron can do that, and you don't need iDrive or the controller for that. If you're satisfied with the clunky, primitive crap that companies like BMW put out, good for you. But I am not. They are all quite backward compared to what CarPlay offers. (Btw, Audi is finally getting its act together, and will offer CarPlay via both touch and a controller integrated with its MMI system starting with the 2016 models in North America. Guess what I'll be getting next.....)
3) It might help if you had actually read my post (which you clearly have not).
1) It's a 2013 535xiGT. The screen is the largest that BMW puts out. The iDrive software has barely changed since I bought it (as evidenced by the ones you showed).
2) The question was really about iDrive and the controller, not about how you can get Siri to work if you plug in your iPhone, or what you can do with the iPod, etc (which I talk about in post anyway). Any moron can do that, and you don't need iDrive or the controller for that. If you're satisfied with the clunky, primitive crap that companies like BMW put out, good for you. But I am not. They are all quite backward compared to what CarPlay offers. (Btw, Audi is finally getting its act together, and will offer CarPlay via both touch and a controller integrated with its MMI system starting with the 2016 models in North America. Guess what I'll be getting next.....)
3) It might help if you had actually read my post (which you clearly have not).
I did read your post, and you were wrong on most counts. When I refer to speaking numbers or directions, it is to the BMW system. Siri would be for looking up a number on the net.
Touch will never be the correct way for a driver to interface with a system while operating a vehicle at high speed. It is a poor way to do things, as evidenced by the LS460 I had for a year. In fact, Lexus management recognized it was potentially so dangerous that they disabled most of the features while moving!
I did read your post, and you were wrong on most counts. When I refer to speaking numbers or directions, it is to the BMW system. Siri would be for looking up a number on the net.
Touch will never be the correct way for a driver to interface with a system while operating a vehicle at high speed. It is a poor way to do things, as evidenced by the LS460 I had for a year. In fact, Lexus management recognized it was potentially so dangerous that they disabled most of the features while moving!
1) With the exception of the opinion I expressed related to the voice commands (which, I believe is pretty sad compared to something like Siri) name one count -- let alone most -- on which I was wrong.
2) CarPlay does not imply touch. Look it up if you don't believe me. (Hint: You can start with searching for how Audi is implementing it). Apple is not that stupid. So I have absolutely no idea what your point is in the relation to that.
At the end of the day, it is about taste and expectations. Here's mine. German make great cars that are a pleasure to drive. But their automotive user interface is somewhat basic (I've only owned Audi and BMW among German carmakers). And their software is, let's say, totally lacking. But if that is good enough for you, great! I am happy for you.
Comments
You know apple like to be in control of their product.
Thats true. But they all dont have to look the same even if they work the same
They won't get buy-in because car companies don't want their dash looking just like another car company's dash.
Having the same UI on a variable-sized rectangular piece of glass somewhere on your dash is hardly equivalent to having dashes that look "just like" each other. Car companies will buy-in because discriminating iPhone owners will demand it or car-shop elsewhere.
Apple's not designing a car. They are working on CarPlay interface solutions, battery technology, and mapping improvements.
I wish this car thing would die. Distracting.
Certainly a possibility that you are right, maybe even a likelihood. But I wouldn't have expressed the opinion as if I were the fount of all knowledge (like you just did).
That sounds like you're damning with faint praise.
For sure I would like to have car play!
You know if you are so bound on Apple products you should understand BMW as it is this same class of manufacturere between car amnufacturers as Apple between those of electronics.
If you drove one for years like I did you would understand better... just like you used youir iPhone or Mac for years (I did both Apple and BMW).
Success in electronics does not translate anyhow in success of cars manufacturing.... especially sporty luxury cars like BMW.
ECU does not need Apple. Somehow Ferrari in Formula 1 in times of their success could even use Windows onboard to comntrol engine (which I bet many of you did not know).
Entertainment is not the key top car drivability - it is an addition to it. And if you think about car control with electronics... well you can do this, but niche drivers that buy some more advanced BMW cars would tell you that they would stop buying it and go elsewhere. BMW sticks to customers very much (if you ever purchased one from them you would know better). It is not the same as Toyota, Honda ora any other popular car.
There are no obstacles to a deeper relationship with BMW. All Apple has to do is either:
1. BUY ALL OF BMW for $64 BILLION
2. BUY TOTALITARIAN CONTROLLING INTEREST IN BMW for $36 BILLION - so like Zuckerberg of Facebook, no stockholder can override his decisions.
Then Apple can own all of BMW IP, its car design expertise, its manufacturing, and its brand.
And unlike Tesla, BMW actually makes billions of dollars in profit every year. And BMW only makes a few models of car.
Gosh, where do I begin. Let me point out a few of the obvious ones:
1) The whole set up is based on scrolling and clicking on TEXT (not images) to get to sub levels or back to super levels. The text is often not user-friendly or in a font size that requires a lot of squinting and taking attention away from the road.
2) Radio. Finding a station by scanning it is not easy at all -- there is no obvious scan function, for example (via the controller). Switching between AM and FM requires moving back a level, then clicking AM/FM/Satellite, then deciding whether one wants the presets (which are not easy to set up except for the limited number available on the dashboard) or scan a station. Even if you set up your presets, it's stored in the order in which you set it, so FM is mixed up with AM is mixed up with Satellite, and often, depending on where you are, you have no idea what pressing on a station number will bring up (since the same number is associated with different stations in different locations).
3) Music. There is no way to scrub a song using a controller (you have to press and hold an arrow button on the dash); the display by the speedometer is limited (and functions differently depending on whether you're using an external device or the internal hard drive); the steering wheel sound functions are limited; there is no way to create playlists on the internal HD; the system does not recognize album names and songs at least a third of the time (even though they're available on CDDB); manually inputing album names is possible only in caps; it is not possible to manually input song names; the screen interface when a song is playing is different for different media -- internal HD (no album image) versus iPod (album image) versus iPhone (no album image); scrolling through playlists on an iPod using the controller is a pain; you cannot see song lists within a playlist if you're using an iPhone (so you have to make your choices on the iPhone rather than via the controller) but you can see songs in a playlist if you're using an iPod or the internal HD; there is no shuffle function; there is no ability to sort the music using user criteria....
4) Voice commands: Absolutely the pits. It only understands set commands, not natural language. For example, I cannot say please call "123-4567." Instead, this is the routine: (i) "Call number" (ii) It responds "Please say the phone number"; (iii) "123-4567" (iv) It responds: "Next?" (v) "Call." If you get a number wrong, asking it to delete or cancel and accept a new number is a total pain. Ugh. It almost never plays me a song with the title I ask for, or calls a number of a contact I ask for from my contact list -- it gets it wrong 90% of the time. It is impossible to send a text message.
5) Navigation....
Oh what the heck. I don't wish to go on. It's too painful.
Actually iDrive is not just primitive. It sucks.
(On the bright side, it is far better than my Audi was, which was far better than my Lexus was.)
I don't know how old your system is, but on my 2014 650, the iDrive infotainment system is fast, the display is very large and high in resolution - there are no issues reading text at all.
The navigation system, which updates over the air form the car's internal cell system, is very accurate, as is the traffic re-routing. I've no issues with voice commands, and often enter addresses by speaking them completely. I can say Dial and speak the number in one sentence and its done.
It syncs messages and mail real time, so I don't have to reach for my phone
and iOS in the Car allows be to access Siri to reply, check a stock price, search for a number. With BMW apps, you can even Play streaming sources into the car.
You can't be serious about some pressing need to create playlists in your car or type out names of songs...I have a iPod Classic or my iPhone 6 either connected to USB or Bluetooth, and everything transfers for me to browse. 99.9% of people would access their iTunes music this way. I've never had issues seeing and browsing songs through the iDrive controller, so I have no idea what you're talking about.
I'm not saying there's couldn't be improvements, but your posting is uniformed and not based on current technology or an understanding of how that technology works. As it is, the controller has direct access to the most common functions:
and the newer models have a touch surface to draw out letters or numbers to reduce your list options quickly
BMW is introducing gestures and some touch in the near future...as long as it doesn't replace the fixed controller, (which is easier and safer to control with your arm resting on the console - regardless of road conditions - rather than bounding around at 70 mph as you stretch to reach a perpetually moving target), I'll be ok with multi-input options for the infotainment.
(Lots of stuff)
1) It's a 2013 535xiGT. The screen is the largest that BMW puts out. The iDrive software has barely changed since I bought it (as evidenced by the ones you showed).
2) The question was really about iDrive and the controller, not about how you can get Siri to work if you plug in your iPhone, or what you can do with the iPod, etc (which I talk about in post anyway). Any moron can do that, and you don't need iDrive or the controller for that. If you're satisfied with the clunky, primitive crap that companies like BMW put out, good for you. But I am not. They are all quite backward compared to what CarPlay offers. (Btw, Audi is finally getting its act together, and will offer CarPlay via both touch and a controller integrated with its MMI system starting with the 2016 models in North America. Guess what I'll be getting next.....)
3) It might help if you had actually read my post (which you clearly have not).
1) It's a 2013 535xiGT. The screen is the largest that BMW puts out. The iDrive software has barely changed since I bought it (as evidenced by the ones you showed).
2) The question was really about iDrive and the controller, not about how you can get Siri to work if you plug in your iPhone, or what you can do with the iPod, etc (which I talk about in post anyway). Any moron can do that, and you don't need iDrive or the controller for that. If you're satisfied with the clunky, primitive crap that companies like BMW put out, good for you. But I am not. They are all quite backward compared to what CarPlay offers. (Btw, Audi is finally getting its act together, and will offer CarPlay via both touch and a controller integrated with its MMI system starting with the 2016 models in North America. Guess what I'll be getting next.....)
3) It might help if you had actually read my post (which you clearly have not).
I did read your post, and you were wrong on most counts. When I refer to speaking numbers or directions, it is to the BMW system. Siri would be for looking up a number on the net.
Touch will never be the correct way for a driver to interface with a system while operating a vehicle at high speed. It is a poor way to do things, as evidenced by the LS460 I had for a year. In fact, Lexus management recognized it was potentially so dangerous that they disabled most of the features while moving!
I did read your post, and you were wrong on most counts. When I refer to speaking numbers or directions, it is to the BMW system. Siri would be for looking up a number on the net.
Touch will never be the correct way for a driver to interface with a system while operating a vehicle at high speed. It is a poor way to do things, as evidenced by the LS460 I had for a year. In fact, Lexus management recognized it was potentially so dangerous that they disabled most of the features while moving!
1) With the exception of the opinion I expressed related to the voice commands (which, I believe is pretty sad compared to something like Siri) name one count -- let alone most -- on which I was wrong.
2) CarPlay does not imply touch. Look it up if you don't believe me. (Hint: You can start with searching for how Audi is implementing it). Apple is not that stupid. So I have absolutely no idea what your point is in the relation to that.
At the end of the day, it is about taste and expectations. Here's mine. German make great cars that are a pleasure to drive. But their automotive user interface is somewhat basic (I've only owned Audi and BMW among German carmakers). And their software is, let's say, totally lacking. But if that is good enough for you, great! I am happy for you.