iphone 5 cradle

[mwlmd]

Since my iPhone 5 is scheduled to arrive the same day I fly to Munich, I am wondering about the iPhone snap in cradle.

Am I correct in assuming I should NOT buy a cradle and just use the usb cord until BMW/Apple release the updated cradle? I will have my iPhone 4 during ED but seems like a waste of $$ for 1 week of use.

[jmh]

Originally Posted by mwlmd

Since my iPhone 5 is scheduled to arrive the same day I fly to Munich, I am wondering about the iPhone snap in cradle.

Am I correct in assuming I should NOT buy a cradle and just use the usb cord until BMW/Apple release the updated cradle? I will have my iPhone 4 during ED but seems like a waste of $$ for 1 week of use.

No snap-in yet, will take some time as the iPhone 5 is larger (and has a different connector) than the IP4 .
Also note the USB cable connection won't be of much use as the USB connector in the middle armrest is used for the Euro maps (no pre-loaded Euro maps on F10s with new NAV system, Euro maps are provided on a USB stick) .
So your best option is to use Bluetooth connectivity or the "old" snap-in adapter with your IP4

[Tubal]

Although I won't be ordering my M5 till the end I the year, I have been wondering the same thing. I know there are only 8 pins in the new cable so I hope it is still able to use the roof antenna and all the other features.

[cnicholson]

I don't think the "old" iPod/iPhone dock connector had antenna wires. so not really a change. I think the reception boost, if any, was due to induction/proximity to the cradle, which is connected to the roof. I think some older cell phones had external antenna connections and actually boosted power when connected--- but in a 3G/4G world with fancy antennas and dynamic power output, I am not sure if this is relevant anymore...

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by Tubal

Although I won't be ordering my M5 till the end I the year, I have been wondering the same thing. I know there are only 8 pins in the new cable so I hope it is still able to use the roof antenna and all the other features.

The poster above me was correct; there was never an antenna connector in the previous iPhones. Any reception improvements would have been due to induction from the external antenna to the baseplate.

OP, you can either use a Lightning to dock adapter or spend $10 less and just get the new Lightning USB cable. Either way, the iPhone 5 will work over normal USB, which will give you all functions except video playback and PlugIn, both of which require BMW Apps AND the Media cradle, which is only available for the 4/4S. And no, using the extension cord-style Lightning to dock adapter to connect your iPhone 5 to the dock connector in the Media cradle (so you don't have to worry about the physical fit issue) won't work because that adapter doesn't pass the video output. That method may still work if you want to use it for all of the other functions in order to keep your regular USB port free for another device, but given that the cradle is $200+, I don't see the value.

[stealth.pilot]

Originally Posted by mwlmd

Since my iPhone 5 is scheduled to arrive the same day I fly to Munich, I am wondering about the iPhone snap in cradle.

Am I correct in assuming I should NOT buy a cradle and just use the usb cord until BMW/Apple release the updated cradle? I will have my iPhone 4 during ED but seems like a waste of $$ for 1 week of use.

Yes you should wait. However please note - it took BMW 9 months to launch an iPhone 4 adapter.

In mean time use the cable.

[watrob]

It will take awhile, hopefully the new cradle will incorporate a digital to analog conversion chip as the video output of the iphone 5 is digital and the input to the idrive is analog.

The iphone 4s was analog output?

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by watrob

It will take awhile, hopefully the new cradle will incorporate a digital to analog conversion chip as the video output of the iphone 5 is digital and the input to the idrive is analog.

The iphone 4s was analog output?

The 4/4S support analog and HDMI video output, but iDrive was pulling analog -- probably because it was far less bandwidth to handle, the iDrive's display resolution didn't justify the increased clarity of HDMI, and receiving an HDMI signal from the phone would have required iDrive to convert the input to analog anyway in order to multiplex that video with the rest of the iDrive interface -- and iDrive might have needed to support HDCP on that input as well, which would have meant licensing fees.

And in fact I'm not even sure the final output from the iDrive computer to the display is digital anyway.

[watrob]

The iDrive has only 3 analog video inputs, one for Digital TV which is converted to analog input first, the second is usually the input for your video out from your iphone which is analog and the third is for your rear & side view camera system.

If BMW can incorporate a both an analog audio & video dacs in a new iphone 5 cradle they would over come the problem. It could be done and there would be a big demand, even the new idrives are still analog.