CarPlay MMI Prime Retrofit for BMWs and MINIs

CarPlay MMI Prime is a multimedia system connecting your phone to your BMW or MINI either wirelessly or via cable. It is fully integrated with the native iDrive display and controller, and feels and works like OEM BMW Apple CarPlay.

With its user-friendly and instinctive interface, this CarPlay retrofit makes it easy to use many of your iPhone's apps in full screen on your BMW’s or MINI’s native dashboard screen (The screen is NOT included in the CarPlay MMI Prime kit). 

Having a host of apps at hand you can choose whether you want to listen to your music or podcasts through Spotify, YouTube Music or others, safely stay in touch with your family via WhatsApp or Messages, and always find the quickest routes via Google Maps or Waze without catching a ticket.   

Thanks to the additional BMW Android Auto support our upgrade also allows you to access all of your favorite smartphone apps as well. To control and switch between apps you can use iDrive controller or Siri.

Please note that it is not possible to play audio from CarPlay or Android Auto apps and audio from native iDrive apps (including radio and navigation) at the same time.

BimmerTech's CarPlay MMI Prime upgrade is compatible with E-Series and F-Series (only 5 / 6 / 7 and X3 - Series) BMWs and MINIs with CIC and CHAMP2 iDrive systems. It also requires Bluetooth or Voice Control features.

This BMW CarPlay upgrade gives you direct access to many of your iPhone’s navigation, messaging and music apps, as well as other driver-focused apps in the categories of parking, EV charging, or quick food-ordering.

Not sure what’s included? Take a look at some of the most popular CarPlay apps for your BMW.

BimmerTech’s CarPlay for BMW lets you connect your iPhone wirelessly. It only takes one wireless pairing of your iPhone and CarPlay MMI Prime to help the MMI recognize your iPhone each time you get in your car and connect wirelessly, without you even having to remove your phone from your pocket or bag. When using BMW CarPlay you'll be able to answer calls just like with a Bluetooth hands-free connection.

If you'd rather connect your iPhone with the use of cable, you are also free to do so. CarPlay MMI Prime supports both wired and wireless phone connections.

As for the supported iPhones,it’s compatible with devices running iOS up to version 17.

Our BMW CarPlay solution comes with a USB port. It lets you charge your iPhone on longer drives, or you can use it for playing videos and music on your iDrive Screen from a USB thumb drive.



The MMI's USB port can also be used in the future for software updates. So, if you won't be using it for charging or multimedia playback - make sure to place it in an accessible location.

CarPlay MMI Prime lets you use all your favorite CarPlay-compatible iPhone apps on the original BMW display in full-screen. The retrofit's 1280x480 resolution for big screens and 800x480 resolution for small screens look great on all screen sizes.




Note that in MINIs with a rounded screen, a small part of each corner of the CarPlay interface will be obscured when using full-screen mode.

The Full-Screen mode also includes a Screen Mirroring option, which lets you cast the screen of your mobile device onto the BMW's display, and stream audio through the car speakers. This function is especially convenient if you want to stream a video from YouTube.

iPhones mirror wirelessly, while Android phones require a cable connection.

Please note that mirroring of some apps or content using the Screen Mirroring feature may be blocked due to the copyright-holder's DRM. BimmerTech is not responsible for the continued compatibility of any third-party apps with CarPlay MMI Prime.

To navigate the BMW CarPlay apps, you can use your factory microphone (if present) for Siri voice commands or the iDrive controller. A microphone is required to use CarPlay or Android Auto. If you car isn't fitted with a built-in microphone, you can add a microphone to your kit above.

The kit contains a Multimedia Interface (MMI) — a module that also adds Android Auto to your BMW or MINI. So if you have family members or friends with Android smartphones, connecting their devices will be a breeze too!

To enjoy BMW Android Auto wirelessly your phone has to support the wireless Android Auto. If it doesn't, you'll still be able to use the Android Auto via USB.

The MMI module makes it easy to add front and reversing cameras to your order for a much lower price. The front view camera can easily be activated by holding the Option button for 2 seconds. To exit camera mode, just press Back. It can also be set up to appear automatically for up to 20 seconds when shifting from Reverse to Drive.

The audio output circuit in our BMW CarPlay upgrade has been specifically selected to squeeze all the quality we can out of the iDrive AUX input, providing great audio quality for music, streaming and calls. If your vehicle is not equipped with an AUX input in Media/Radio, we’ll have to code it.

The MMI also has a built-in 8-band equalizer which allows adjusting the sound to your liking. Whether you like more bass and less treble, or the other way around, you can easily set it up in the MMI menu. It is a great feature especially if you don't have a multi-band Equalizer in your iDrive system.

 

We’re always working on improving our CarPlay MMI Prime, with regular software updates to unlock new features. Updating your software is easy, and can be done through the included USB port.

When adding CarPlay to the CIC head unit there are no additional coding or permanent modifications required, however the installation process itself can be a bit tricky. Therefore, if you’d need a helping hand, here’s a list of our installers who will manage this process for you.  

The kit includes all parts necessary for a complete installation:

Keep in mind, the screen is NOT included in the CarPlay MMI Prime kit.

The installation instructions appear in the personal account within 72 hours after the purchased product is shipped. They are created and customized for each specific model and consist of dozens of pages with step-by step instructions, photos and graphics helping to manage the process easier.  But in case of any additional questions, our technical support is always ready to help.