The second group tries to get around the limitations of real-time wireless audio transfer between devices by simply not doing it. Neither AirPlay nor Miracast is supported by the BMW iDrive, but retrofitting a wireless mirroring device can let you use your smartphone to stream music, films and more to your BMW's dashboard display. WiFi is inherently better than Bluetooth at transferring large amounts of data quickly, meaning better quality audio (and even streaming video) can be moved between devices in real time. The first - best represented by Apple's AirPlay and the competing Miracast standard - streams audio directly between devices, using the WiFi connection between them as a kind of bridge. You can split these technologies into two groups. Or at least as the foundation, on top of which a number of technologies have been built. More commonly associated with wireless internet connections, WiFi has emerged as an alternative to Bluetooth for wireless audio transfer between devices. WiFi-based (including AirPlay, Miracast, Chromecast Audio and Spotify Connect) The aptX codec found in many smartphones and premium audio equipment promises better quality over Bluetooth, but as of yet it isn't available in any BMWs, so you won't be able to take advantage of that. The result is like orange juice from concentrate: not bad, but not a patch on freshly squeezed. To allow music to be streamed wirelessly in real time with no delay or stutters, the audio signal has to be compressed by your smartphone to minimize the amount of data that has to be transferred, then decompressed by your BMW for playback. The weakness, though, is the audio quality. With BMW's ConnectedDrive app, you'll also be able to control music playback from mobile apps like Spotify and Pandora through the iDrive, as well as accessing your phone's calendar, emails and text messages through your BMW in compatible vehicles. That means that you can use the Bluetooth connection between your smartphone and BMW to communicate between the two in more advanced ways than just streaming music. That means that getting music from your phone playing through your BMW's speakers is as close to automatic as you're going to be able to get.īluetooth isn't just for audio, though the technology was originally designed as a wireless replacement for the old RS-232 serial port, used for connecting mice, printers and other peripherals to computers in the dark days before USB. Anybody who's used a wireless earpiece or set of Bluetooth headphones will know that, after the initial setup, it's enough to bring the two devices within range of each other to establish a connection. What makes Bluetooth such a firm favorite is how quick and easy it is to pair up two devices and start streaming audio between them. BMW knows that, which is why it offers both a basic and Enhanced Bluetooth upgrade for BMWs. So it's well established, and you're not going to have a problem finding products to fit into your Bluetooth-based audio ecosystem. Bluetoothīluetooth is probably the best-known technology used for wireless audio connection, popping up in speakers, headphones and basically any remotely decent phone built in the last decade or so. But what they give up in fidelity, they more than make up for in convenience, making them a great choice for people who aren't so concerned about hearing every detail of Jack Ashford's tambourine work. So what exactly do you have a choice between, and why would you go for one connection method over another?Īs any audiophile will tell you, wireless audio connections are going to lag behind their wired counterparts when it comes to audio quality. With so many wired and wireless connection options to choose from, though, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, the short answer probably isn't going to be much use. The short answer is to connect your smartphone to your BMW, and play your music through the car's stereo speakers. Chances are that means you access most of your music collection through your smartphone, either to play the mp3s you've downloaded or to stream straight from Tidal, Spotify, Apple Music or one of those other ones nobody really uses.īut how do you go about bringing all that mobile musical joy into the most joyously mobile thing you have, your BMW? You're a reasonable, 21st century person.
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