Howdy all,
Got a 2016 F56 with Mini Connected and am unable to get the app and the car to talk to each other.
When on the Connection Assistant screen, it just says "start app on the device". The app then just sits on that tutorial screen waiting to hear from the car.

The USB Audio is working fine, i can play whatever on the phone and it comes out the speakers. I can also see the playlists and music that is local on the phone from itunes.

What i'm really trying to get is the Spotify interface to come up though.

So far i've tried
* starting the app before getting to that screen
* starting the app after getting to that screen
* uninstalling the app and reinstalling
* different usb-lightning cables
* phone on wifi
* phone on cellular data
* paired phone on bluetooth

Stumped the guys at the dealer as i was taking delivery but we did see the car connect to a different phone so i know it will work if the correct sacrifices are made.

My working theory is that Mini Connected 3.1 does not like ios 9.3. Don't have anything else to try though.

Anyone have this working on an iphone 5s with ios 9.3?

 

We have an iPhone 6 and iPhone 5. Both running iOS 9.3, both are able to connect via Mini Connected.

I will say that I strongly dislike the Mini Connected system. The only reason why I ordered it was hoping that BMW would provide an upgrade to Carplay. Otherwise the base radio without Mini Connected seemed to work better and more reliably.

I've had awful problems with Mini Connected. Its the worst part of the car. Like many technologies Mini has, its as if they had this great idea 10 years ago that no longer works. They need to ditch it and support Carplay. Owners lounge looks abandoned back in 2000. Missing videos, old small flash window, terribly out of date with production status. The tray to put your phone in, in the arm rest also looks like an idea gone sour. They should provide better support for bluetooth and ditch the cradle.

Anyway, back to your problem. Typically install the app on your phone. Have the app running. Plug it into the car via an Apple lighting cable. Switch to Mini Connected using the iDrive. Go through the tutorial so that its ready to try and sync up. It should discover your phone. Don't rush it. It may take a few seconds.

If all you want is Spotify, I'm not sure you need the Mini Connected app. At least if I bring up Spotify on my phone, it automatically connects to the car and brings up the car's interface.

I hate that the Mini Connected app doesn't reliably switch between apps. I end up having to do it on the phone, so if I have to use the phone, I may as well use the phone for everything instead of the iDrive. I can't get Siri to reliably work any which way. Something about connecting bluetooth and USB gets it messed up.

 

I don't have the F56, but in reading these forums I've never heard anyone say they like the phone app. Maybe it worked on Blackberries in 2008 lol.

 

I've got a Galaxy S5 and online it say's the car ('16 JCW w/premium & wired pckg) is compatible. Several times I've downloaded both apps (hoping to get Pandora to work) but no joy. Maybe when/if I get the Galaxy S7 it'll work but I'm not counting on it, just a bonus if it does. It works fine in my trusty '15 Subaru Outback .

 

The MINI Connected app is supported, but the Android version of the app does not support 3rd party app integration. It makes no difference what phone you have there.

That being said, BMW recently announced 3rd party apps are coming to their Connected Android app, so it's only logical to assume we will see it soon for MINI.

 

Has BMW said anything recently about this? I just saw that they plan to support it someday in the future, which might be new model vehicles only.

 

Article on BimmerFile here: http://www.bimmerfile.com/2016/03/22...droid-devices/

It says it's coming first to the new 7 series first, but that it will filter down to other vehicles with BMW Connected and MINI Connected.

What's also interesting about the new 7 series also is that Connected/app integration work over Bluetooth - no plug in required. I don't think we'll see that on existing units, but maybe when we see the refresh in a year or two.

 

When I 1st got the car, the app worked well but the salesman who was very knowledgeable got it connected. After a couple of months it no longer would make the connection although the phone connects fine. He is gone now and no one else knows how.

Yesterday the shop found out there was a new software available for the car that we can't see on our home computers per the vin. They took about two hours to completely upgrade upgrade all the firmware (at no charge ) but I'm still not getting my Galaxy S5 to connect via mini connect. He did get my Pandora going but now I can't figure out how he did that w/o the app.

It seems all unaffiliated manufacturers want to use their own methods that will not work across the industry .