Didn't see anyone post about this yet...I just picked up an iPhone 3GS. I have a 2009 MCS, with the Y-cable thing. Everything works fine, except the charging. With the iPhone 3G, it would charge sometimes, and just think it was fully charged other times (lots of posts here about this). With the iPhone 3GS, I just see a yellow triangle that says charging is not supported with this accessory.

Other than the charging, though, everything seems to work as before.

 

Same thing with my new iPhone 3GS. I have a 2009 JCW.

 

You might want to pick up a cigarette car charger with USB port for emergency charging. I've tried two of them and they both work fine on my iPhone 3G. Got the second one because it was smaller. I think it was $25.

 

Has anyone tried one of these charge converters?

http://www.chargeconverter.com/shop/...m?connipod.htm

Doh! I just re-read that page and saw this sentence: "Note that many Pioneer and Mini Cooper systems are incompatible with the new charging system, even together with an adapter."

That sucks...

 

this works great!!
http://www.newministuff.com/new/shop...uctshow&id=667

 

I have this and hate it , it does not stay in the phone . The locking pins are missing on the adptor to the phone so if your phone moves around it comes loose. It does work it is just poorly made.

FYI

 

have you talked to dealer about this? Sounds as if something that should work and maybe something MINI needs to know about to fix. Planning on getting a 3gs in mid-July when my current phone contract runs out and would hate no charge capability while playing music etc.

 

If the dealer won't swap out the cable's for free this might be a good alternative.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/TS696LL/A

 

Has anyone tried this? There are a couple of comments on the Apple site saying it didn't work for a 2009 BMW and a Mini...

 

My husband has this device (the Scosche) and while it works in his Jeep, it does not work in my 2009 MINI with the 3Gs (seems to charge the 3G when its not particular low, but I have not confirmed this)...sigh. Seems like the 3Gs perhaps takes even more power than the 3G (?) -- everything worked just fine with the 2G.

Someone mentioned a new Y cable...anyone know anything about this? I got my cable when I picked up my car Nov 2008...is there a newer one?

 

Here is my experience with my 2009 Clubman:
- With my second-generation iPhone with OS 2.x, the Mini Y-cable worked perfectly...both charged the unit and played music.
- With my new iPhone 3GS, as soon as I plug in the iPhone, it gives me the error that charging is not supported with this accessory. It still plays music, either through the USB integration, or via AUX jack.

Corresponding to this, my iPhone 3GS also won't charge using the Apple wall-charger that came with my second-gen iPhone. So this points to a hardware change within the new iPhone 3GS that renders it incompatible with older methods of charging, including Apple's own stuff.

So, hopefully BMW/Mini will fix this soon with a new cable.

 

Might be a good idea to make an appointment with a "Genius" at an Apple Store to discuss this.

 

I went to the Apple Store, with my cable. The guy I talked to told me I could charge my iPhone with a USB cable from my computer. Then he recommended a cigarette lighter charger. He just didn't get the point that I am connecting the iPhone to my audio system. The MINI cable confused him entirely.

I talked to my MINI service manager. He is aware of the problem with the Y-Cable not charging, and got me a newer one from service to try. It didn't work either. He is going to call MINI NA and try to get to the bottom of it and let me know what he can and cannot do for me. He also said that the smartphone prep (6NF) has not been working for iPhones. They charge, but won't play from the armrest cradle.

In the meantime I got the new iPhone cradle for my armrest (I have comfort access 6NE). That seems to work fine with my 3GS for charging.

 

Thanks for the update. Here's to an updated/revised Y cable doing the trick.

 

I got the latest Y-cable from the dealer today for my 08 Cooper.... no go... still won't charge the 3GS. Ugh..... one step forward, two steps back.

 

I am having the same problem with my factory Y-cable and an iPhone 3GS. I called the dealer who referred me to BMW/Mini NA (800-831-1117). They told me that they were aware of the issue but had not received specs from Apple about how the hardware/software had changed.

It was kind of a weird conversation since they referred me to the Apple store for the solution to the Y-cable issue and said that they might even have to place the iPhone 3GS on the incompatibility list for the Mini. I personally find that a little hard to believe but hey.. they said it not me.

I have scheduled an appointment today at the Apple "genius" bar and so lets is see if the egg heads can find me a solution.

 

I forgot to mention in my previous email.. that my biggest frustration with this issue is because of the new XM Radio app on my iPhone. It works great and I used it on a 2+ hour trip from Richmond, VA to Washington, DC last week. The XM worked great the whole trip with only one drop that lasted less than 30 secs which in truth is phenomally better than my XpressEZ. The sound quality was better than my old cheapy XpressEZ (http://shop.xmradio.com/xm/ctl10600/...th_vehicle_kit)

The big issue is that I could not charge the phone with my Y-cable and so when I arrived in Washington my battery was about 90% gone. I know that I can run a standard charger cable and a plain ole mini jack to do everything but it would be nice if they made a new Y-cable that could handle the 3GS and that was at least 12 inches long.

My 2 cents.. thanks for listening.

 

Does anyone have a 3G cradle with smartphone prep? I have an iPhone 3G (not s) and the MINI OEM armrest cradle and it works pretty damn good - charging, iPod support works great. I'm contemplating upgarding to a 3Gs, but if the cradle is useless with it, then I'll stick to my "old" 3G.

 

I think if the 3GS charging is a power problem, then Mini should fix since we can all charge using computers or a cig plug. Now how do we charge in the cig plug if our GPS or other unit is plugged in there and there is not enough room to put in dual female adaper for charging. If it is an Apple thing with the pin config, then they need to come up with a new adapter, not the SCOSCHE IFWA cause it does not allow charging.

 

I am completely convinced it is the Mini USB jack and that it does not provide enough power. I listen to the XM/Sirus iPhone app on my iPhone 3GS and if I use the Mini Y-adapter and plug the usb connector into a cigar lighter adapter and the mini jack into my mini it charges and plays correctly. Unfortunately, since the USB is being used with a USB/cigarette adapter it is not connected directly into my Mini and therefor does not integrate the iPod with my onboard stereo.

My hopefull solution will be what I described before, as using a splitter for my USB that I will connect one end into the USB/cigarette adapter for power and the other into my Mini dash USB port. This should work and I have a splitter on order from Amazon. I will repost when I get it in and tell me if this three cable mess works.

I really hope it does so that Apple and Mini can stop the blame game and just fix the issue. Thanks.

 

That seems odd -- my iPhone 3GS charges fine with the charger from my iPhone 3G and with the charger from the original 2007 iPhone too.

 

Same here. When I got my 3GS, they gave me back the wall charger and cable from my old 3G and it works fine with my 3GS.

 

Others have reported that the 3GS works correctly in the 3G cradle, you should be good to go.

 

I have a 2008 MC Clubman....my cable works fine and charges my iPod classic and iPhone 3G but not 3Gs.....so I bought the Scosche adapter listed above and it still doesn't work.

 

And that is because the 3GS takes to much current to charge the battery. The currnet limit on the MINI is 500MA the newer iPods/iPhones require up to 1500MA and possibly as much as 2000MA to charge.