[Ozzie8]

Update the BMW Connected app and you will have a digital key to unlock and start your car from your iPhone.

It is available for all 8 series vehicles MANUFACTURED AFTER JULY 1ST 2020!

WTF?

That's two days ago.

This means that none of us - none of us - will have this feature!!!

Can you friggin' believe it??

Well yes I can ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you BMW.

[Resjudicata]

sounds about right

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Ozzie8

Update the BMW Connected app and you will have a digital key to unlock and start your car from your iPhone.

It is available for all 8 series vehicles MANUFACTURED AFTER JULY 1ST 2020!

WTF?

That's two days ago.

This means that none of us - none of us - will have this feature!!!

Can you friggin' believe it??

Well yes I can ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you BMW.

Just pulled down the latest 10.8 iOS BMW Connected app on my work iPhone. Read through all the release notes and my iPhone XS meets the baseline but I do not see the digital key option. Thus, I suspect that the July 1st manufacturing date is CYA as it likely comes down to the iDrive software. The Connected app knows I have 11/2019.70 so its not showing the option.

On the flip side we know thanks to limeypride and his glorious big arsed M8C GC that at least 05/2020 exists. If that is what is currently going into the new builds then it should work for him. Otherwise there may be a new base, e.g., 06/2020 or 07/2020 that enables it. The only other explanation is that BMW is actually putting new NFC hardware across a ridiculous number of models starting on July 1st. Possible but it would have to be backward compatible with the existing Samsung Android digital key and frankly NFC is a universal standard so my $ is on the iDrive software, iPhone version, iOS version and updated Connected app.

[Ozzie8]

It is hardware change, so our vehicles will never support an iPhone digital key.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Ozzie8

It is hardware change, so our vehicles will never support an iPhone digital key.

Can you share the link or source that calls it out an actual hardware change in the cars? That will be absolutely disappointing given NFC is an international in which all solutions should operate on a frequency of 13.56 MHz. Thus, it should only be software on both ends, i.e., new iDrive and new iOS Connected app.

[BMWGirlFL]

Press Release ¶5 does say: "The NFC hardware required for the digital key is available for vehicles produced from July 2020."

https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1735658

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Press Release ¶5 does say: "The NFC hardware required for the digital key is available for vehicles produced from July 2020."

https://f92.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1735658

Thank you! That is disappointing but at the end of the day the NFC Digital Key is mostly a gimmick as it does not have the same functions as the true key fobs, e.g., comfort access which is worth its weight in gold. That said I can see a scenario in play the for families with kids as the two standard key fobs doesn't cover that so the kids can use their iPhones.

[BMWGirlFL]

Order placed early February. Ending up with MY20 produced 2 weeks before MY21 SOP. Also disappointing but grateful I didn't lose my allocation which seems to have become a problem for some. I believe, after updates, it will have everything except Digital Key & High Beam Assist. I don't have an iPhone and drive in areas where my now auto high beams are triggered almost never.

I like this concept. OTA updates and ability to buy new features. Surprised announcement generated so much negativity.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

I like this concept. OTA updates and ability to buy new features. Surprised announcement generated so much negativity.

That is indeed why the negativity, i.e., this is not an OTA update or even a full iDrive base release installed by a dealer. There are hundreds of 8-series owners out there whom are likely iOS users (I'm not but do have an iOS work phone) that would welcome the digital key functionality. However, BMW has made this a hardware change so all existing owners are SOL.

Two plus decades in high tech manufacturing (hardware and software) has taught the lesson that backward compatibility is the key to an existing customer install base. To that point is why international standards such as NFC exist. BMW obviously cannot fight their way out of a paper bag when it comes to software competency (a well proven track record) and now are absolutely clueless in the business paradigm of cross-selling and up-selling existing customers.

[Ozzie8]

https://www.bmw.com/en/innovation/bm...w-car-key.html

If you scroll down it says clearly for cars manufactured from July 2020.

Agree with all of the comments hence my original post.

[Ozzie8]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Order placed early February. Ending up with MY20 produced 2 weeks before MY21 SOP. Also disappointing but grateful I didn't lose my allocation which seems to have become a problem for some. I believe, after updates, it will have everything except Digital Key & High Beam Assist. I don't have an iPhone and drive in areas where my now auto high beams are triggered almost never.

I like this concept. OTA updates and ability to buy new features. Surprised announcement generated so much negativity.

That is a bummer. I am extremely disappointed its not available for my car. Seriously thinking of trading and buying a new model to get it. Simply because when I leave the house the only thing I need these days is my phone. We were already well on the way to becoming a cashless society before COVID - this has accelerated with almost all retail outlets now refusing to handle cash. We also now have digital drivers licences on the DMV app. Would really love the digital car key too.

[BMWGirlFL]

Adopt an Android?

[Ozzie8]

That is a very good suggestion. I was on Android for a long time and switched to iOS 4 years ago. Mmm

[J400uk]

I can’t get my head round this, surely it must be just a software update? They did similar last year with Drive Recorder as initially that was said to be June 2019 onwards only but then started appearing on connected drive Store if you had the right options and a newer release idrive.

Also surely the technology to make it work must already be there given android phones already can do it

[BMWGirlFL]

Anyone using their BMW Digital Key Card? Thoughts?

[Ozzie8]

Originally Posted by J400uk

I can’t get my head round this, surely it must be just a software update? They did similar last year with Drive Recorder as initially that was said to be June 2019 onwards only but then started appearing on connected drive Store if you had the right options and a newer release idrive.

Also surely the technology to make it work must already be there given android phones already can do it

J400uk this is a lucid, logical and rational argument. Surely its just a simple software upgrade. I live in hope but the reality is this is BMW not Tesla.

[Ozzie8]

Originally Posted by BMWGirlFL

Anyone using their BMW Digital Key Card? Thoughts?

I don't use it. If I have to grab the key card, then I might as well grab the key. I don't carry a wallet these days.

[Pictor]

The iPhone implementation will evolve. As it stands today it's not more convenient than carrying the key FOB and the FOB with comfort access is easier to use. Just like the BMW Key Card, I don't want to have to pull anything out of my pocket to use. The possibility of using my Apple Watch might make it worthwhile but I'm reserving final judgement until I see it in action.

Like Ozzie8, I don't carry a wallet anymore and frankly, I've also done away with metal keys.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Ozzie8

J400uk this is a lucid, logical and rational argument. Surely its just a simple software upgrade. I live in hope but the reality is this is BMW not Tesla.

As stated in my first post on the thread it is indeed 100% possible to be software only considering NFC is an industry standard and such things exist in the technology world for cross compatibility. Unfortunately, Apple likes to play the game of proprietary when they can to ensure a sealed system and hardware dependency. Even then though they follow the rule of backward compatibility and keep their iOS supporting at least N-3 sets of hardware. On the other hand BMW is clueless to that so it sounds like they are going with new NFC hardware starting in July and that kills backward compatibility for all existing customers with NFC enabled cars.

[bloozemanAZ]

Originally Posted by Pictor

The iPhone implementation will evolve. As it stands today it's not more convenient than carrying the key FOB and the FOB with comfort access is easier to use. Just like the BMW Key Card, I don't want to have to pull anything out of my pocket to use. The possibility of using my Apple Watch might make it worthwhile but I'm reserving final judgement until I see it in action.

That is a good call out regarding the use of Apple Watch which the latest Connected App on iOS (version 10.8) which enables the digital key states that it is supported. I too do not use my NFC Digital Key card as why bother considering if I have the key fob it stays resident in my pocket the entire time. Plus, the car senses it about 6 feet away so on approach at night it turns on lighting to help.

I can see the Apple Watch being used to open the door but not sure how they will incorporate it into starting the car which normally takes the digital key in the wireless charging tray. The catch-22 is NFC has a limitation of less than 20 centimetres (roughly 8 inches) but in BMW's current implementation it is literally an inch or two max considering either with the Android (aka Samsung) or credit card NFC digital keys you have to touch them on the door handle and place them in the wireless charging tray in order for them to be recognized.

[XBMW6]

That's the eternal dilemma with BMW .. they often release new exciting features, only to deprive recent owners from upgrading.

[Pictor]

Originally Posted by XBMW6

That's the eternal dilemma with BMW .. they often release new exciting features, only to deprive recent owners from upgrading.

So can I upgrade my 2017 TV to the new 2020 model?