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BMW ConnectedDrive not working

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BMW ConnectedDrive not working

Plan

Premium

Country

Belgium

Device

Nexus 6P

Operating System

(iOS 10, Android Oreo, Windows 10,etc.)

 

My Question or Issue

 

So I have a BWM 1 series for about a week now and was able to connect spotify without any problems until it stopped working once i got back in my car two days ago. It still shows up in my apps, and sometimes I can click it and continue to the next screen but it doesn't load any further than that. I also get a notification on my phone that it's connected.

 

The problem started when I used the spotify app on my computer and connected to Sonos. But I already changed it in the computer app so the music plays from my computer itself.

 

The funny thing is that it does play spotify from my phone connected via bluetooth, just not from the app that's in the list.

 

Any idea how I can fix this? Already tried to reinstall the app, open the spotify app through the connected drive app, and disconnect/reconnect my phone.

 

 

Reply
457 Replies

I've had a little response from BMW based on my review of the BMW Connected App" in the Google Play store.  I've pasted their response below.  BTW, I did already raise this issue with Spotify with a direct email to their support.

 

Hi Marc. Sorry to hear you're having issues with Spotify. A fix would need to be implemented by Spotify in order for your problem to be resolved. Please reach out to their support team to explain your issue and request a solution. We're always working to improve the app and its features, so stay tuned for new app updates. -BMW Connected Team

I hope there will be a solution soon. The last thing I would do would be to switch to  iPhone. 😞

It appears that BMW want us to appeal to the Spotify support team to get this fixed:

 

Hi Marc. Sorry to hear you're having issues with Spotify. A fix would need to be implemented by Spotify in order for your problem to be resolved. Please reach out to their support team to explain your issue and request a solution. We're always working to improve the app and its features, so stay tuned for new app updates. -BMW Connected Team

Same issue on a December 2018 M4. Had M140i before this and no problems. Tried two different android devices and same issue.

I guess no answers from Spotify?

Nope, still broken.

I factory wiped my phone last week and Spotify updated to the latest version again, and it went back to being broken.

I've given up being bothered about this stuff, I'll report it and leave it at that.  It's sadly becoming more common that these things happen when two totally separate entities try and collaborate like this, even though as time goes and technologies become more interconnected and smart, companies and the staff involved get more lazy and complacent.  3-4 months with a completely broken solution which is paid for and supported is unacceptable by any standards.

I've just been asked to complete a forum survey after posting that reply, the fact that I logged that I was totally unsatisfied with the Spotify experience but they weren't interested in providing a text box to ask why... kinda says it all.

But hey, throw more stupid arbitrary meaningless badges and forum ranks at me!

It'is the same answer I got from MINI more than a month ago and since then nothing has changed, sigh
what can we do more than report it here?

If you've only been commenting on this forum, then I suggest you also write to Spotify using the email address below.  Spotify are telling me that their best tech folks are still looking into it, how they highly appreciate my patience, and for me letting them know about it.
 

support@spotify.com

Any updates from BMW AG in Germany?

Cancelled Spotify and signed up to Deezer as built in to the BMW (used Deezer directly rather than BMW route). Family membership same price as Spotify and has up to 6 consecutive users. Found online websites that have apps to convert spotify playlists to Deezer. Win, win 😁

I haven't seen a Deezer app in my BMW iDrive - I haven't went out of my way to look but I don't recall ever seeing it as I've previously scanned through all the areas.  If Deezer has a built in iDrive integration like Spotify i.e. showing album art on the iDrive screen, playlist compatibility, control the app from the car etc I might make the jump, I have no loyalty to Spotify if they're going to neglect a glaring issue like this for such a long time.  

I asked my local BMW car dealer , they claim to have no knowledge of any problem . 😠

Hi guys, this morning I got from Playstore an update of Spotify. So with this new release I can listen to spotify through the app on my iDrive6, but still the screen is blank and I can't control spotify via BMW. I'm really disappointed , is it working for you? I have a BMW Series 1.

Thank You for this hint. So we can avoid to install this update.

You should ask your local BMW dealer to show you how it works and then they will definitely know 🙂

ok , so now the local car dealer blames Spotify for it ... (getting angry)

 

Edit: It works if i install 8.4.78.530 on my Nexus 5x, any newer version will fail

I had to have my car in for service and I mentioned the issue to my Service Advisor, he said that unfortunantly Android is just not a priority for BMW and thus issues like this will occur.

 

He further said that he has heard other customer complain about it, but there is not anything he can do about such issues as BMW has not issued any sort of technical service bulletin nor any instructions how to fix said issues.

 

At the end of the day he said that issues such as Spotify integration are controlled at the corporate level and the dealers really do not have any input nor control of them. He said other customers have told him that BMW passes the buck to Spotify and it seems from talking with those customers Spotify is not moving quickly to fix the issue.

 

With that said, I heard back from a Spotify rep that now says Spotify is looking at the issue and asked me to please be patient.

 

The big problem and well it is endemic of the entire tech industry is that we the customer are just not that important in a sense. If we were a big business we would get better serivce, but as we just end users, we have to deal with a certain amount of opacity with situations like this. It would be a breath of fresh air if a company like Spotify said, hey we are aware of the issue and we hope to have the issue fixed within x amount of time, but please understand that due to unforseen circumstances that date may change or something like.

 

Instead, we the customer have to deal with different anwsers from differrent reps and the promise of it well get fixed.

BMW ConnectedDrive support finally came back to me, and have said that they've been in contact with Spotify, and that a fix should be delivered in the first quarter of the year.

While I am glad the BMW ConnectedDrive responded to you, they told me that issues such as this are are the app vendor's problem and that I should direct any concerns I have with them.

 

When I specifically raised this issue with BMW ConnectedDrive I was politely told to contact Spotify as the only remedy available to me.

Plan

Premium/Family

Country

Norway 

Device

Samsung Note 8 / 2018 BMW i3

Operating System

Android 8.0 / iDrive 6

 

My Question or Issue

It's still not possible to use the Spotify app in my BMW i3 with iDrive 6. The Spotify app show no information in iDrive and haven't for a couple of months now. At the same time I've recieved multiple Spotify updates on my phone.

 

I know there is a bad workaround where you have to download an APK from an untrusted source, but obviously I'm not going to to that on the same phone I use for work. 

 

The other solution is to use the standard bluetooth functionality, but then you have to use the phone to do everything but to skip to next or previous song. This is illegal in my country and you risk loosing your drivers license ...

 

Spotify, please prioritize this issue. 

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