BMW ConnectedDrive not working

[user-removed]

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.

[Davedeblock]

Same problem here. Just got an BMW from 9/2018 i.c.w. an Onplus 5t model. The Bluetooth audio works fine, but the Spotify app does nothing at all on the BMW display. 

So after googling why... I came upon this topic.  Which does not make me happy at all.. how can this take so long to fix? Before the update it worked.. after it didn't.. So start at the back and work your way up again to see where you did wrong Spotify! Please! Looks like it has taken to long, at least give us an status-update?

[Surfek]

It worked but stopped with newer version of Spotify app. So probably it is on Spotify side (not BMW).

It may not give good mark to Spotify app development regression testing processes...

Or maybe the feature of connecting to iDrive via BMW ConnectedDrive app is so not important for Spotify that it is not part of regression testing protocol.

It is not important for them as:

 - there were several new versions of Spotify app but none of them brought Spotify-BMW integration back

 - we have long thread of posts about this problem on community.spotify.com  - but spotify is ignoring the thread and has not responded with any information (or I have not seen it?)

[dan1431]

I am not a Software Developer and really do not understand the code, but is anyone able to compare the apks from the last known good working file to next file after the change and determine what if any changes were made?

I had some free time today, so I Goolged around and found some names of BMW ConnectedDrive Engineers in Germany and I emailed them regarding this issue. I heard back from one of them and he said that he was aware of the issue but not much more. I sent him a follow up email and he said that he is not supposed to be customer facing and really could not answer any more questions but that yes in his opinion it is fixable, but it would be up to Spotify to fix it.

Not really sure what to say at this point, it is appears to be a fixable issue, but like all tech companies keeping the customer apprised is not a priority, so I guess there are really only two options, sit patiently or jump ship.

[FreedomHawk]

Same issue here with new BMW 4 Series. 

Confirmed workaround: Downgrade to Spotify 8.4.77.779 (armeabi-v7a for LG Nexus phone):

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/spotify-ltd/spotify/spotify-8-4-77-779-release/

Steps: Uninstall latest version in PlayStore, download and install APK above, disable auto-update for Spotify in Playstore (per-app setting), subscribe and upvote this thread, wait for fix.

Spotify please let us know if you need any more details. Thanks for working on this!

[Davedeblock]

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@FreedomHawk wrote:

Same issue here with new BMW 4 Series. 

Confirmed workaround: Downgrade to Spotify 8.4.77.779 (armeabi-v7a for LG Nexus phone):

https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/spotify-ltd/spotify/spotify-8-4-77-779-release/

Steps: Uninstall latest version in PlayStore, download and install APK above, disable auto-update for Spotify in Playstore (per-app setting), subscribe and upvote this thread, wait for fix.

Spotify please let us know if you need any more details. Thanks for working on this!

Thanks, this worked for me, I downloaded the 8.4.77.779 version. Installed it, and now at least it works 👌

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[katakrack]

I confirm that with version 8.4.77.779 works correctly on Samsung Galaxy S9. Spotify must fix the error for the updated versions

[andrey85s]

Hi, I've seen yesterday a new version of Spotify on PlayStore, but for me it's still not working. Have you tried it? Any update from spotify so far?

[dan1431]

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@andrey85s wrote:

Hi, I've seen yesterday a new version of Spotify on PlayStore, but for me it's still not working. Have you tried it? Any update from spotify so far?

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The latest update does not (at least for me) fix the issue that us BMW drivers are experiencing.

As for any updates from Spotify other than that they are investigating it, no they have not provided ant further updates.

I reached out to BMWCCA (BMW Car Club of America)  to see if they could through their Ombudsman reach out to BMW North America about the issue.

They said that they would forward the issue to BMW and if they heard anything they would get back to me. 

I also spoke to my BMWCCA chapter President as well and he himself is experiencing the issue and has contacted both Spotify and BMW and he encouraged me to encourage anyone experiencing the issue to contact BOTH BMW and Spotify to ensure we keep the reports coming. 

[Wesley83]

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@Asklepi-OS wrote:

Deezer doen't seem to be available for "Business Navigation" models, lacking the internal hard drive i think? So Android users have only one choice : Spotify 😞

Sadly, yes.

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[dan1431]

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@Wesley83 wrote:

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@Asklepi-OS wrote:

Deezer doen't seem to be available for "Business Navigation" models, lacking the internal hard drive i think? So Android users have only one choice : Spotify 😞

Sadly, yes.

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I cannot speak to the Business Navigation (I think that is the smaller screen) but my Professional Navigation (larger screen) does not seem to have Deezer natively installed.

[jonibegood]

Ok, so I rolled back to 8.4.77.779 as has been suggested and everything worked fine. Like an **bleep** I just allowed my Samsung S9 to install the latest version of Android on 4th Feb 2019 and now the problem exists even with the older version of Spotify in place. Why on earth don't BMW just get Android Auto into their cars rahter than unsucessfully trying to keep pace with app and operating system updates with their backward interface. This is enough to make me buy an Audi!

[dan1431]

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@jonibegood wrote:

Ok, so I rolled back to 8.4.77.779 as has been suggested and everything worked fine. Like an **bleep** I just allowed my Samsung S9 to install the latest version of Android on 4th Feb 2019 and now the problem exists even with the older version of Spotify in place. Why on earth don't BMW just get Android Auto into their cars rahter than unsucessfully trying to keep pace with app and operating system updates with their backward interface. This is enough to make me buy an Audi!

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</blockquote

I am running the last know working version of Spotify prior to the November update which broke Spotify's integration with BMW iDrive.

I am also taking part in the BETA access program and rolling back to the last know good configuration after each BETA update fails to fix the issue and to date 8.4.77.779 always works after I roll back to it.

With that said, it sometime requires a reboot or two of my phone before it works properly again.

[marianbeuther]

i am currently on the alpha app channel! Updates every day! Still NOT working! very frustrating spotify..

[nealesj]

Hey Spotify, you seem to be ignoring a whole bunch of users here... Get it sorted or hire developers who can.! You should be ashamed of yourselves.

[nils50122]

Last week i change from an iOS-Device to an Huawei Mate 20 Pro with Android 9.0.

After install the BMW Connected App, Spotify App and finally the connect over Bluetooth to my Connected Drive (NBT Evo ID5, with latest software update from BMW) i see the spotify app in the iDrive Media Menu, but nothing more. 

So i reinstall the Spotify app, but no changes. 

After long time of research for this problem i found this thread and i see the issue is from november 2018? I can't understand why spotify developers need over 4 months to work at an solution for this problem.

We all pay monthly for this product. Are the customers not worth anything to spotify? for such a big company, very embarrassing. 

I wait now a little time for about one month, if spotify can not find an solution for this problem, i announce my abo and change to deezer, it works like a charm.

[marmarpab]

I have two BMW cars... we cannot connect Spotify with both via Connect drive... I call BMW and they have told me this is a Spotify app problem.

Spotify premium Version 8.4.91.861 

Samsung Galaxy S9+

[MudMen]

Time goes by and no solution by Spotify. I will wait until the next update and if the problem with BMW Connected Drive is unfixed, I will cancel my premium membership and change to deezer.

[PrinsMagnus]

4 weeks ago you, @Katerina, said the developers were looking into this problem, which has been an issue since november or so last year. It's currently the middle of february and this has at the moment turned into a 20 pages long rant about how tired people are of this issue.

What on earth is taking you so long? Honestly, is voting the best answer to get this problem prioritized? Or to use more layman's terms: "we don't care, but if the users create enough noise we eventually have to look at it".

It shouldn't be necessary to vote for a critical bug. Either you support the BMW/Android combination, or you don't.

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@Katerina wrote:

Hey there folks!

We've merged some threads regarding the issue with Spotify not working properly with BMW ConnectedDrive.

We also wanted to let you know that our developers are currently looking into this. 

If you're experiencing this issue, we'd recommend clicking +VOTE so you can stay up to speed. We'll let you know as soon as we've got any updates for you.

Thanks again for reporting this!

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[marianbeuther]

THIS!

@PrinsMagnus wrote:

4 weeks ago you, @Katerina, said the developers were looking into this problem, which has been an issue since november or so last year. It's currently the middle of february and this has at the moment turned into a 20 pages long rant about how tired people are of this issue.

What on earth is taking you so long? Honestly, is voting the best answer to get this problem prioritized? Or to use more layman's terms: "we don't care, but if the users create enough noise we eventually have to look at it".

It shouldn't be necessary to vote for a critical bug. Either you support the BMW/Android combination, or you don't.

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@Katerina wrote:

Hey there folks!

We've merged some threads regarding the issue with Spotify not working properly with BMW ConnectedDrive.

We also wanted to let you know that our developers are currently looking into this. 

If you're experiencing this issue, we'd recommend clicking +VOTE so you can stay up to speed. We'll let you know as soon as we've got any updates for you.

Thanks again for reporting this!

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[andrey85s]

Yes , now is becoming very embarassing this situation, I'm trying every day to contact them but apart from "excuses" and "our developers are working on it" , nothing serious or concrete. Plus we are all paying for premium, so this lack of support is even more embarassing for Spotify. Is there a way to escalate this problem ? Adding a vote is just useless imho.