I am hearing that I might lose the in car iPod control if I move to the cradle. Can anyone chime in on this? I want to be able to use the external antenna, I am hoping for better reception with it but want to know if 1. the reception is in fact better, 2. will installing it means no more music through the iPhone and 3. is it worth getting based on cost versus performance. Thanks much!

 

if your 2010 was pre-wired for smartphone integration you should be OK, but I have no way of testing this. the older cars have no connection between the armrest and the older cd-changer based ipod controller.

worse comes to worse, I'm sure you could find someone to buy the snap-in from you if it doesn't work...

 

Thanks for the info, I am not sure that option is on my vehicle. I hear even with the adapter, the phone will not charge. I could live with uploading music to the internal hard drive however, the cost to install this thing to use the external antenna and not have it charge the phone is not worth it in the long run. With a new iPhone coming out son, it would be nice if they made an updated kit so we can have full functionality.

 

I didn't think the iPhone supported external antenna connection through the dock connector anyway...

 

From the site description it does. It would be nice if they had addition information on this. I have talked to a few SAs and am not able to get one that has all the answers, I have been able to piece together information from online forums and SAs to come up with the info. It would be nice if the software updates did not disable the function and if the Y-adapter cable was not so expensive.

What would really be nice is if you could have a universal system that would allow any phone to utilize the external antenna, charge the device and allow/duplicate most of the functions of the mobile unit. We shouldn't have to pay extra to browse the web and do searches from the vehicle. Just wishing here.

 

What site description? Looking on the iPhone dock connector pinout I don't see anything for the antenna.

I've seen plenty of discussions on forums where people say that it does connect to the antenna, but I think thats just from people making an assumption. In fact, there are companies who offer to mod your iPhone to give an antenna connection, and I can't see why they'd be offering a service like that if you could just plug one in the bottom.

 

It's on the BMW accessory site. Of course the snap in adapter is for the iPhone 3G that they have listed, I am assuming it would work on the 3GS as well. Here is the description from the site:

This system provides a safe and secure place to dock your Apple iPhone 3G while driving and will charge your phone battery when the vehicle is running. The adapter also provides a connection to the roof-mounted telephone antenna for improved cellular reception. (PN: 84 21 2 158 682)

Which is why I was interested in getting it, I have some area which signals are not always the best folks can here me but it takes a bit until 2 way communication is restored when driving through. I was hoping this would resolve that, plus it would be nice to have a place to store it that would charge it rather than placing it up by the iDrive screen.

 

Well, This is the pinout and there's no mention of antenna connections:

http://pinouts.ru/PortableDevices/ipod_pinout.shtml

I'm more inclined to believe that than what is probably the generic text for every phone on the BMW website. Can't say I've ever noticed any difference in reception when I have my phone docked, although I've not really looked for it either.

 

I read somewhere that the back of the plate provided some sort of connection to the antenna. I am holding off on doing this right now as the cost to install does not seem worth it. I'll continue to do some research online and with different dealers to see what is possible. Worst case, I'll not do it until some better phone is out with great signal while in the car.

Thank you for the info.

 

the antenna connection isn't physical, it's an amplified loop inside the snap-in plate that connects to the antenna in the shark fin. it does boost the signal, somewhat. if i'm having signal issues i put the phone in the snap-in and the signal does get better, sometimes. i haven't bought the snap-in for the iPhone since i'm going to get the speck.dock instead but i have the whole center console wired up from when I had my blackberries with their snap-ins.