So I have done a lot of research on this, but I wasn't able to find a user that has described this as a working solution yet. I am taking delivery of a 2012 JCW Coupe here in a few weeks. It has Mini Connect w/o Nav. This is my first Mini Connect experience and of course, I just complicated things by purchasing the iPhone 5.

Anyway, I am wondering if it would be possible to get Mini Connected working 100% by using a 4th gen iPod Touch running the Mini connect App and connecting via WiFi to my iPhone 5 through tethering data? Would it allow me to use MOG/Pandora and all the apps like normal? Will it show artwork and everything just like it would if a phone was connected?

Ideally I would want it to be as hands-off as possible. I would leave the iPod touch in the armrest or wherever and never touch it, and when my iPhone 5 gets in range it automatically connects to it and just works without me having to touch the iPod or my iPhone.

Is this doable?

-z

 

Most likely you aren't going o lose any of the MINi Connected services. What it looks like we are losing is the "Plugin" ipod out functionality and the ability to watch videos from your iPHONE 5. Both of which your iPOD will handle and you don't need internet for. Under the regular iPhone output within MINI Connected itself, you will still get Album artwork etc just not an interface that is basically a mirror of the iPhone music app.


Michael

 

Thank you so much for this thread z!

I plan to try the same thing with an iPod 4 which I just purcahsed, tehered to a rooted Android Galaxy S3. I think the elements of the setup will be essentially identical - a wireless tether from an iPod 4 to a smartphone - that whether the smartphone is Android or iPhone is probably not relevant. I'd LOVE to hear more input on this, and plan to fully report to this section of the forum on my own set-up once I pick up my new Mini next week.

It does beg the question - is it just easier to get an iPod 4 and tether than go through trying to fix thew iPhone 5-MINI Connected interface issues?

 

An iPod Touch has been used sucessfully before, discussed in this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-solution.html

 

Thanks rkw for the link. I could not find that info when I searched. I am eager to try this out with an iTouch tethered to an iPhone 5. I am sure everything will work as intended. I am intrigued by the use of Tasker on Android to automate the turning on the Hotspot. My biggest fear would be the battery drain if I leave the Hotspot on all the time. As long as the iTouch connects without me having to bother with it, that's the important part.

The thing is though, now with the new iTouch out with the Lightning connector, the "old" 4th gen iTouch is the last thing we can currently buy to make it work...

 

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This solution works 100% and I'm tethering my iPod to an Android (Galaxy S3). For those of us who have not joined that iPhone club, just do all the above with your Android. I bought a iTouch (the outgoing generation) and dedicated to the MINI (my MiNiPod I suppose). It charges via the car's USB and the S3 charges via the power outlet (cigarette lighter socket) via a socket-USB converter insert.

It's been in my car for a few days now and I haven't even broken a sweat.

 

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I will test this out fully this week when I pick up my car. I bought a used iPhone 4 that is now just a glorified iPod, that will sit in the armrest Media Snap In cradle. The snap in module is why I want to use the iPhone 4 rather than the 5. There are a lot of features that apparently don't work by using the new lightning connector USB cable vs the 30pin connector of the old gen. That and I don't want my phone sitting it a cup holder or shuffling around in the center console etc...

I understand that tethering may eat more battery. But my daily commute is 30 minutes and I can charge it up on either end of my trip. I'm not too worried about that.

If it works using an iPod and a tethered android phone, then I'm sure this will work just as well.

Z