[2Times]

It’s like that Bestbuy commercial, “You got the wrong one silly head”

[kgelfen360]

Originally Posted by TheMaxXHD

You are mistaken if you think that is how that works. In the regular tech world with android devices, that is not how that works.

Anyone that has used an android device can tell you that it’s a catch 22 whether you even get updates beyond an major update or two. It is on the manufacturers of the phones to update their products to the latest versions. Some manufacturers support their devices for only like 1 or 2 years worth of android updates.

Apple is ironically the best with device support, often giving 5+ years in some cases of updates. The flipside is they are also the worst at walling latest features to new devices, even if older ones are capable of having the feature.

Not sure what I am “mistaken about”. All I said is maybe it will be better?
I don’t use android phones so have no experience with that.
But at any rate you can’t compare $50-100k product to $200 phone you are referring to. Mind you they repair car under warranty for several years so at the very least given that these cars are more and more of software they will need to properly support it. Which they don’t do a very good job at today.

[LogicalApex]

Originally Posted by MJBO

Heh, actually Apple do it too. An iPhone X misses out on a list of iOS 16 features that newer devices get.

https://www.macworld.com/article/805...atibility.html

Apple doesn’t do what BMW is doing though…

Apple distinguishes features in software from features in hardware.

So the iPhone X gets iOS 16 with features that aren’t supported on its hardware removed, but it is on the same OS otherwise. We can debate on if a missing feature is truly missing because of hardware deficiencies or if Apple wants to sell a newer phone, but that’s tangential.

BMW on the other hand never really tells the customer what hardware platform (aka “Service Pack”) the car is on or what it supports. Then they release new versions of iDrive every other weekend. None of which can be upgraded to “newer” versions of iDrive.

So the whole thing just ends up being a complete mess…

This mess is, IMHO, costing BMW valuable oxygen for innovation. As it is spreading their development team very thin and it is why we’re seeing the problems we see with them in this space. It is why the G30 LCI which got iDrive 7 with full Remote Software Update supports has received no meaningful updates and never will. The same is now true for iDrive 8 cars as the BMW team will be focused on dealing with bug fixes for iDrive 9…

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by Tejas1836

Android OS. My god what are they thinking, very insecure OS.
No CarPlay, no BMW for me, screw that.

Where do you get that Android is insecure?
Android is as secure as the manufacturer wants. Android support "Trust Zone", secure boot, along with a host of other features. Android is Linux at it's core.

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by LogicalApex

All of Apple’s OSes are based on Darwin XNU which is a fork of BSD. Nothing is based on BSD proper.

The roots are NeXT and people confuse that because it was BSD with a Mach microkernel.

[Notleks24]

Originally Posted by AzraNxien

Am I the only one that thinks iDrive 7 looks beautiful for it’s age?

Just me?
Ok then.

iDrive 7 needs an update and refresh.

[swampfox94]

I’m not stressing about new OS on my car as long as I have access to apple CarPlay

[xlover]

I think the thing not obvious that many are missing here is bmw called out that 8.5 and 9 will look identical.

So ppl worried about 8 looking old or being displaced probably have little to be concerned about. I expect 8 will be upgraded to 8.5 as a matter of course.

I am reading this as 9 is for the cheaper less complicated cars to start and 8.5 will be for the more complex cars. Consider the development of complex algorithm based climate control on the more complex vehicles. Hard to just throw that away and start over. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the branding strategy change to not even differentiate between the two in a significant way considering they will look mostly the same. Will be 4-5 years or more before the last of the idrive 8 cars end of life so clearly 8/8.5 has quite a bit of runway.

[techwhiz1]

BMW is moving from one application processor and stack to another.

The previous application stack and processor were Linux based.

They are moving to Qualcomm which is an Android stack.

Their ADAS is still MobilEye as far as I know.
BMW went this route because they have quite a bit invested with MobilEye.

Mercedes is taking a different approach and is using Nvidia for ADAS and Infotainment and is relying on a single software stack from a single vendor.

[mbanck]

Originally Posted by techwhiz1

The roots are NeXT and people confuse that because it was BSD with a Mach microkernel.

Right, XNU is a derivative/continuation of the Mach microkernel and Darwin is a fork/continuation of the BSD userland.

Google is working on their own Zircon microkernel and Fuchsia userland as low-level replacement of Linux for Android, but I guess that won't be there for Android automotive, at least not initially.

Tidbit: Some of the people that tried to turn the original Mach mircokernel along with a multiserver system on top (called Hurd) into the base of the GNU operating system (which never went anywhere when Linux took over as the kernel) are now working at Google on Zircon/Fuchsia.

Going back to topic, I find it a bit weird to expose those underpinnings into the (customer visible) major version number of the iDrive OS - I understand they might have to differentiate the UX for the FAAR/UKL (who won't have an iDrive controller going forward and are touch/voice-input-only) and the rest, but calling them iDrive OS 8.5 and 9 is a bit baffling to me and prone to customer confusion/complaints (as seen in this thread as well)

[Cortexiphan]

Originally Posted by br438

iDrive 7 = peak Bimfotainment.

No it isn't.
But posts like this would be popular because most people has idrive 7 now

I clearly remember when idrive 7 came out, people were saying 6 was better. It's even in the car reviews.

[Quadruple VANOS]

Originally Posted by Cortexiphan

No it isn't.
But posts like this would be popular because most people has idrive 7 now

I clearly remember when idrive 7 came out, people were saying 6 was better. It's even in the car reviews.

So many seem to form steadfast opinions before ever having a first-person experience. This is one of those occasions.

[RCtennis3811]

Originally Posted by Cortexiphan

No it isn't.
But posts like this would be popular because most people has idrive 7 now

I clearly remember when idrive 7 came out, people were saying 6 was better. It's even in the car reviews.

Other than the larger screen, I fail to see how iDrive 8 is better than 7. Again, have all 3. 8 has less features than 7 but still lags at times. FWIW I’m on 07/2022 with 7 and 11/2022 with 8. OTOH, both are better than 6 which has a seizure when driving through the urban areas of Dallas. It cannot render those 3D buildings as quick as it should.

[ProteinFart]

Don’t be surprised to see the best M modem have the most outdated system lol

[chrisk03]

BMW systems, at least entertainment, have always bothered me (dare I say, suck), but maybe it's because I've used Androids (Samsung Galaxy) forever....nothing against iPhone. Though, even the wife's iPhone in our 19 X3 isn't anything special and sometimes CarPlay has hiccups.

My "lowly" 18 GTI works great with both platforms (AA and ACP) for entertainment and is by far the best system I've owned in a recent vehicle for this stuff, whether BMW, MB, etc. I've never understood why BMW seems to make this so difficult. Let the confusion continue...

[br438]

Originally Posted by Quadruple VANOS

So many seem to form steadfast opinions before ever having a first-person experience. This is one of those occasions.

Hahaha... so... for instance, you, forming a steadfast opinion that I have not experienced iDrive 8, without knowing (firsthand) whether I have experienced iDrive 8... would that be what you are talking about!? bwaaahahahahahaa...

For the record, it was a humor post, but if you two would like to take it super serious, with firm opinions, I think that's a great idea. I support your firm opinion the same as I support my own.

[ramparts]

Originally Posted by RCtennis3811

Other than the larger screen, I fail to see how iDrive 8 is better than 7. Again, have all 3. 8 has less features than 7 but still lags at times. FWIW I’m on 07/2022 with 7 and 11/2022 with 8. OTOH, both are better than 6 which has a seizure when driving through the urban areas of Dallas. It cannot render those 3D buildings as quick as it should.

Yeah, it lags because the MGU and MGU21 ecus both have the same CPU! An intel atom. Other chips on the board are different but a lot is cpu bound, and the chip they are using has poor flu performance. Issue of cause is power envelope, so they will need to move to something like quallcomm arm chips to see a benefit. And oh look, guess which OS runs nicely on those

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by spaceage

Translation: as of MY2024 every BMW will have Android shitware built in.

Funkdat. iDrive 6 and earlier is QNX, which IMHO is the best automotive software platform. Secure, stable. Android is.. neither of those things.

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by Tejas1836

And Dee wants to put text messaging on the winshield

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by SetAlias

I think many on this forum don't realize that apple is only popular in the United States.

[Phasers]

Originally Posted by Rastayang

So my 2023 vehicle with iDrive8 is already outdated? I guess at this point it is just going to be normal.

How do you think I feel about my '22 X7 and my '23 X5, both of which have iDrive 7.

[Phasers]

Originally Posted by SetAlias

I think many on this forum don't realize that apple is only popular in the United States. Android holds over 70% marketshare globally, the iphone and iMessage infatuation is a US thing. Exchange students often have trouble because they use WhatsApp instead of iMessage and the iMessage lock-in causes issues for communicating in groups.

So it's not that android automotive (Google) won't be able to be used by iphone users seamlessly, it's that apple has a history of making their integrations difficult if not impossible for non iphone users, in order to keep business via lock-in. What if you had to own an iphone to use certain features with your car... that's stupid and anti-consumer.

https://www.thurrott.com/apple/24893...id%20handsets.


So if BMW went with the apple car system they'd likely be causing an issue for a very large number of their customers. They'd also be restricted to what apple says they can do instead of developing their own platform. Versus the Google system will be compatible and customizable as it always has been.

I have an iPhone and use WhatsApp extensively. I don't understand this iMessage lock-in you're referring to?