[selmeralto]

I'm an Android guy and I don't code. Can someone recommend the best way to get Waze to work on the car's screen?

I much prefer Waze to the native BMW guidance system.

I saw one thread about screen mirroring through my Android phone. If I do this will the vertical Waze program be readable on the horizontal BMW screen? If I'm running Waze on screen mirroring can I easily flip to other BMW modes on the screen and on the audio system?

I saw that Apply Carplay supports Waze. But does that require an Apple product to be connected to the car via bluetooth?

I'm really only concerned to get Waze going. Not interested in other Apple apps.

Thanks in advance for help on this.

[Fly320s]

I don't know the answer, but I am in the same boat.

[Steelguin]

The answer is use i phone. That's the easiest way.

[selmeralto]

Originally Posted by Steelguin

The answer is use i phone. That's the easiest way.

OK, but I'm looking for a way that I can keep using my Android and my Android only.

Hoping not to let this thread move to an iPhone v. Android discussion.

[KevinM]

I don't know, but if there is a way, it is probably in this thread from the Nav/electronics subforum:

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1307729

[KevinC]

Suggestion: buy an older, used iPhone, and use it for Waze in the car.. stick with Android for everything else if that's your preference.

And I'd give BMW's native nav more of a chance. I'm quite happy with it. One huge feature it has, that I can't do in my VW, is voice guidance simply by the name of the destination I want - i.e. "navigate to Jimmy's Hot Dogs" and boom, there it is. Waze, Google, Apple Maps all have done this for a long time, but generally not the native nav apps in cars. No screwing around with address entries. It's glorious.

[selmeralto]

Originally Posted by KevinC

Suggestion: buy an older, used iPhone, and use it for Waze in the car.. stick with Android for everything else if that's your preference.

And I'd give BMW's native nav more of a chance. I'm quite happy with it. One huge feature it has, that I can't do in my VW, is voice guidance simply by the name of the destination I want - i.e. "navigate to Jimmy's Hot Dogs" and boom, there it is. Waze, Google, Apple Maps all have done this for a long time, but generally not the native nav apps in cars. No screwing around with address entries. It's glorious.

Thanks. Does BMW have police alerts, as Waze does?

Also, I understand that BMW gets you where you are going and programming an address is good but I was running the applications simultaneously today and Waze had more frequent instructions than BMW guidance. Not everyone wants to be interrupted but when I'm using Waze it's because I really want to have the most precise instructions possible.

In any case, I'd still appreciate advice on getting Waze to work without having to buy or use an iPhone. Thanks.

[ESB]

I wonder if you could use a cheap iPod touch (used?) and connect to your android's hotspot.

[smknjoe]

I wish we had Android Auto too. However, I got my first iPhone specifically for this car.

Silly? Yes.

Easier than fuc&ing around with something else? Yes.

Smartphones are all pretty much the same these days. Same apps, and same functionality. I don't care what brand or OS it is as long as it makes my life easier.


Edit: Waze will alert you through CarPlay.


I agree with KevinC too. The BMW software by itself isn't bad.

Another option would be to just use a your phone and forget about the infotainment. That's what I do with my older cars. Probably what we'll do in 5 years when this version of iDrive is archaic.

[MooMooM2]

huge oversight from BMW not having android auto on this car. I am an iphone guy so I am fine but I think it is ridiculous they skipped android auto in this day and age (not to mention putting that garbage wireless charger on the arm rest, come on BMW). Of course its on idrive 7 which we won't get.

That said I don't think there is any way for you to get waze on the screen. There is of course a silver lining on using android with a bmw without idrive 7 and android auto and its that you can you JBV1 which is amazing and apparently much better than waze for cop detection. This is something iphone users don't get and you can have, some (I even thought about it) even have an android phone in the car just to run JBV1. So that would be what I would do, run bmw for maps and JBV1 for cops. I would get a rennline mount and call it a day

[swampfox94]

Switched to iphone for this car, got full screen carplay and never looked back

[Yetti]

Originally Posted by ESB

I wonder if you could use a cheap iPod touch (used?) and connect to your android's hotspot.

I had this same idea but unfortunately Carplay does not support iPod touches and iPads. I have zero interest switching to an iPhone for everyday use so I am looking into getting an older iPhone to keep in the car and tethering/hotspoting to my Pixel.

My wife has an iPhone and I should have time this weekend to test to see if the hotspottng will work reliably.

[selmeralto]

Thanks to all for the comments so far. It's looking like I'll continue to use my Android clipped to the vent, independent of the BMW system.

Just for the record, yesterday I was running BMW and Waze simultaneously. As I was coming down I-476 to get onto the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) BMW told me to exit off a non-existent exit and the map flipped to show me traveling on a neighborhood road while I was actually on the highway. The system corrected itself after about half a minute. But a half minute's confusion on the Schuylkill feels like a lifetime of misery, as every Philly driver knows. Waze had it right all along. And on Waze I could see the accidents, cars on the side of the road, and the police, all on a single screen. Also, and I don't know if this can be corrected on the BMW system, but if I zoom in, the BMW system decides, after a while, to zoom back out. On Waze the system stays at the zoom level you choose. If you want to reset, you just tap the re-center button.

[Noh Wan]

This is what I chose to do:

https://www.bimmer-tech.net/category...y-mmi-retrofit

It's not cheap, and it's not perfect but it's pretty good and so far I'm happy with it. There are cheaper ways to accomplish the same thing if you're technically inclined but I don't have much patience when it comes to installing this kind of hardware. Mine came to about $1400 installed (which is highway robbery) but it was worth it for me.

Good luck!

[Yetti]

I tested and was able to get Carplay to work when hotspoting through my Android phone. Everything seemed to work correctly and I am going to order an older iPhone to use & keep in my M2C.

I used a Pixel 2 and an iPhone 8 for this - here are the steps I took:

1. Deleted my Pixel from iDrive (you want the iPhone to be the primary device).
2. Added the iPhone to iDrive and enabled Carplay (link for directions)
3. Added the Pixel as a bluetooth phone (secondary device to the iPhone).
4. Put the iPhone in airplane mode so that it was not using its mobile data plan. Connected the iPhone to iDrive/Carplay via WiFi. Connected the iPhone to my Pixel via bluetooth.
5. Turned on bluetooth hotspot to share the internet connection from my Pixel to the iPhone. Location/GPS was turned off on the Pixel. I believe GPS data being used in Carplay was coming from the car's GPS.
6. Plugging the iPhone into the USB port in the arm rest did not impact any functionality and I was able to charge the phone while testing.

Results:

1. My M2C came with full screen Carplay already activated/setup by BMW (older M2's may need to have this coded in).
2. I was using Amazon Music.
3. I could have either Google Maps or Waze running with audible alerts/directions voicing over the music.
4. You can switch quickly between your Carplay map app and Carplay music app via the buttons right above the iDrive controller.
5. I had a friend call me during this process and since my Pixel is the secondary phone/device, it pauses Carplay, seamlessly switches over to the call, and then switched back to Carplay afterwards.

Photos:

[selmeralto]

I just helped a friend set up Waze in her new middle-of-the-road Honda Accord from her iPhone.

I expected to go through some sort of hassle to get it to display. Instead, I just sat down in the car, plugged the phone into the USB outlet, the car recognized the phone and when I opened the app, Waze came up on the screen, filling it completely with a bright, centered, easy-to-read Waze screen. Her Sirius and phone worked seamlessly through the car's electronics with Waze running.

Then I went back to my M2 and opened up Waze on my miserable Galaxy S9+ android.

I didn't want my friend's Honda but I sure wish I could plug my Android into the M2 USB and see what I saw on her screen.

The list price of her Honda was half of the M2 list price.

Not adding much to this thread. Just carping.

[///393]

Originally Posted by selmeralto

I just helped a friend set up Waze in her new middle-of-the-road Honda Accord from her iPhone.

I expected to go through some sort of hassle to get it to display. Instead, I just sat down in the car, plugged the phone into the USB outlet, the car recognized the phone and when I opened the app, Waze came up on the screen, filling it completely with a bright, centered, easy-to-read Waze screen. Her Sirius and phone worked seamlessly through the car's electronics with Waze running.

Then I went back to my M2 and opened up Waze on my miserable Galaxy S9+ android.

I didn't want my friend's Honda but I sure wish I could plug my Android into the M2 USB and see what I saw on her screen.

The list price of her Honda was half of the M2 list price.

Not adding much to this thread. Just carping.

This post following the “nevar iPhone” posts are just flat out hilarious.

The answer is clear: Get an iPhone, enjoy how it just works, and stop using a nav app that’s predicated on selling your data.

[keylime503]

Originally Posted by selmeralto

I just helped a friend set up Waze in her new middle-of-the-road Honda Accord from her iPhone.

I expected to go through some sort of hassle to get it to display. Instead, I just sat down in the car, plugged the phone into the USB outlet, the car recognized the phone and when I opened the app, Waze came up on the screen, filling it completely with a bright, centered, easy-to-read Waze screen. Her Sirius and phone worked seamlessly through the car's electronics with Waze running.

Then I went back to my M2 and opened up Waze on my miserable Galaxy S9+ android.

I didn't want my friend's Honda but I sure wish I could plug my Android into the M2 USB and see what I saw on her screen.

The list price of her Honda was half of the M2 list price.

Not adding much to this thread. Just carping.

This seems pretty unfair. You're making it sound like Honda has some glorious special software handling for mirroring Waze when in fact this simply comes down to Android Auto support.

G-generation BMWs have Android Auto support. OP's options are to switch to an iphone or switch to a G-generation BMW. Period.

[selmeralto]

Originally Posted by keylime503

This seems pretty unfair. You're making it sound like Honda has some glorious special software handling for mirroring Waze when in fact this simply comes down to Android Auto support.

G-generation BMWs have Android Auto support. OP's options are to switch to an iphone or switch to a G-generation BMW. Period.

Fair enough. I guess I'm just annoyed that such an expensive car doesn't support Android as well as Apple.

Out of curiosity, are there cars that support both?

[///393]

Originally Posted by selmeralto

Fair enough. I guess I'm just annoyed that such an expensive car doesn't support Android as well as Apple.

Out of curiosity, are there cars that support both?

Yea there are many. The F8X just isn’t one of them.

[selmeralto]

Originally Posted by wilson kop

Yea there are many. The F8X just isn’t one of them.

Aha. Well I guess I'll return to my original state of curmudgeonliness. A $60K+ car that doesn't directly support Android, as some other - lesser - cars do.

[///393]

Android Auto is for the poors driving Korean cars.

BMW should start building cars to work exclusively with ‘Pro’ model iPhones to weed out any proletariat.