Digital Key to be available across a range of BMW models in iOS 13.6

Posted:
in General Discussion edited June 2020
Apple on Monday announced that BMW would be the first automaker to introduce support for CarKey. In a separate press release, BMW has shared more details about the technology.

Credit: BMW
Credit: BMW


The CarKey feature, coming in iOS 13 and the just-announced iOS 14, will allow users to lock, unlock and start their vehicles with a digital key stored in the Wallet app on iPhone or Apple Watch. Apple in during its keynote said the first car to incorporate CarKey would be the 2021 BMW 5 Series.

A few hours after WWDC 2020, BMW announced that its Digital Key feature would be available across a wide range of models manufactured after July 1, 2020.

Here's the full list of compatible BMW vehicles.

  • The 1

  • The 2

  • The 3

  • The 4

  • The 5

  • The 6

  • The 8

  • The X5

  • The X6

  • The X7

  • The X5M

  • The X6M

  • The Z4

The German carmaker also said that BMW Digital Key will be available on iPhone XR or iPhone XS and newer and on Apple Watch Series 5 and newer. BMW confirmed that the feature will be available in iOS 13.6 and watchOS 6.2.8, as well as on iOS 14 and watchOS 7.

In an associated support guide, BMW highlighted several features of its Digital Key, such as the ability to tap-to-unlock a BMW and start the car by placing a device in a compatible Qi wireless charging tray.

Digital Key will also support car access for up to five other shared users and virtual access limits for young drivers.

The iPhone key feature will also support Express Mode to allow unlocks without biometric authentication and Power Reserve, so it'll continue to work up to five hours after an iPhone battery dies.

BMW has long been an early adopter of Apple's vehicular technology. It was, for example, the first car manufacturer to integrate the iPod and the first to offer wireless CarPlay.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    f1turbof1turbo Posts: 257member
    Tap-to-unlock?  I would have to tap my phone on the car to unlock it?
  • Reply 2 of 6
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    f1turbo said:
    Tap-to-unlock?  I would have to tap my phone on the car to unlock it?
    Just give a good sharp whack to the handle.
  • Reply 3 of 6
    f1turbo said:
    Tap-to-unlock?  I would have to tap my phone on the car to unlock it?
    Two sentences below the one you're referencing:
    The iPhone key feature will also support Express Mode to allow unlocks without biometric authentication and Power Reserve, so it'll continue to work up to five hours after an iPhone battery dies.

    Ars did a little better job at fleshing out detail. https://arstechnica.com/cars/2020/06/apple-adds-carkey-function-to-ios14-bmw-will-support-it-first/

    fastasleep
  • Reply 4 of 6
    KuyangkohKuyangkoh Posts: 838member
    f1turbo said:
    Tap-to-unlock?  I would have to tap my phone on the car to unlock it?
    I dont have to do that w my Tesla, just carry your iphone In your pocket and it will unlock And and you are good to go...it will also lock after you get out...hmmm
    digitol
  • Reply 5 of 6
    laytechlaytech Posts: 335member
    It mentioned in the key note that Apple is working with the auto manufacturers on the NFC communication to create a standardised platform to allow auto unlocking without taking your phone out of your pocket. Until then, we won't see any real excitement around this feature because digging into your pocket for your phone, you may as well just get your key and be able to unlock as you walk up to the car.

    This is sure to be a fantastic feature when its fully enabled with NFC and Apple Watch but as with CarPlay I suspect it will take a couple of years to get taken up by the other manufacturers, and no doubt they will want you to buy their latest model to benefit from it rather than a simple firmware update at service time. 

    Great to see this happening though but looks like we are going to have to be very patient before we get the full benefits.
  • Reply 6 of 6
    mknelsonmknelson Posts: 1,118member
    Kuyangkoh said:
    f1turbo said:
    Tap-to-unlock?  I would have to tap my phone on the car to unlock it?
    I dont have to do that w my Tesla, just carry your iphone In your pocket and it will unlock And and you are good to go...it will also lock after you get out...hmmm
    Not exactly a Telsa exclusive feature. My Chevy Bolt can do that AND has CarPlay.

    If you watch the presentation they mention that other brands/models will allow you to keep your phone in your pocket if the phone features the U1 chip for ultrawideband range confirmation..
    watto_cobra
Sign In or Register to comment.