BMW Group announced that the first BMW Apps integration for Android will be streaming music services iHeartRadio, Spotify, and Pandora. Drivers of the new 2016 BMW 7 Series can use and control these services through their iDrive controller and screen while driving. App integration for all other vehicles equipped with BMW Apps and MINI Connected will follow at a later date.
In order to use the apps inside the BMW, an Android user with OS 4.2 or later, only needs to download the BMW Connected app from Google Play and connect their phone over Bluetooth to the new 2016 BMW 7 Series with the BMW Apps option.
iHeartRadio, offers thousands of iHeartRadio’s Live Radio, a personalized “For You” feature, seamless access to saved Favorites,Thumbs up/Thumbs down songs to, and enhanced music discovery with Live Radio station scan.
Spotify users – both free and Premium – can enjoy a seamless music , using the iDrive controller to access their own music and playlists or use features like Radio and Browse to enjoy an intuitive viewing experience on the car’s high-resolution Control Display. Premium subscribers can enjoy extra high quality on-demand music (320 kbps) ad-free and offline listening.
Pandora allows drivers to access existing or create new stations using the iDrive Controller/MINI Controller, thumb-up, thumb-down, or bookmark songs to personalize the driver’s Pandora stations from the road.
The iHeartRadio for Auto, Spotify, and Pandora apps have been certified by BMW for safe in-car use. The app uses the BMW Group’s A4A (Apps for Automotive) technology and can be downloaded for iOS-based devices from the Apple App Store and for most Android devices in the Google Play Store. Having connected a smartphone to the car via the USB socket or snap-in adapter, and now Bluetooth, and launched the app, users are presented with various functions via the iDrive Controller/MINI Controller, the central display and the car’s audio system. To use the app in BMW and MINI models, the BMW ConnectedDrive Services or MINI Connected option needs to be specified.
The BMW Group was an early driver of smartphone integration and has already certified numerous apps for access in BMW and MINI vehicles. These apps have been optimized for safe use during a journey, can be operated via the iDrive Controller or MINI Controller without distracting the driver, and are viewed in the central display.
The BMW Apps option originally launched for iOS in 2011 and is now available for Android users. The new Android integration also signals a continuation of BMW’s strong partnership with their current iOS app partners. BMW Apps are designed with convenience and safety in mind: drivers can effortlessly stream their favorite audio, change stations, curate their favorites, and switch between apps.