Hodgson100

Bmw have stated in the product information documents for both the E60 LCI and E87LCI and forthcoming E81 that it utilizes the ipod proprietary protocol and can access playlist ,artist, genre and song. This info is in 2 seperate documents published by BMWAG.

Rix Mix

E81? What is that?

JSpira

The 1er

cave

Just asked my dealer today and indeed it will be located at the back of the central console ... and that IS a really stupid place.

vinver

I asked the question to the National Customer service department at BMW and I received the following reply:

"Dear Mr Verzijl

Thank you for contacting BMW Customer Information.

We can confirm that as this is such a new product we have forwarded this to our Marketing Department for assistance.

Please could we ask for your patience whilst we investigate further and we will make contact again as soon as we have been given further information.

Yours sincerely"

Heiss5

I agree, but like I said in another post, why don't you just move it yourself? It can't be that hard. It must be just like the AUX input which is just a cable that goes through a plastic mounting plate. Move the USB connection to wherever you want it, you might have to buy a USB cable to extend it ($15), then buy a blank mounting plate from BMW ($5) to fill in the spot where the USB connection was. So overall it's an extra $20 but you could put it anywhere you want. Just a thought.

vinver

I know but we're not buying a DIY product. We are buying a product that is supposed to be of superior design. If it is that easy to fix why BMW not catch on and correct the 'fault'. At the moment it looks like its going to be positioned in an idiotic place.

Scandic24

Also I think that the USB i/f is a kind of plug-in module which may make it hard to mod by yourself.
See pic from LCI info pdf:


Oh, and I'd like to know what the small socket beside the USB socket is? ..another extra AUX??...Or is it an earphone output?

Heiss5

If that's what the module looks like it still wouldn't be very hard to move. All you really have to do is just slightly move it inside the center console then just connect a USB extension onto it. You can still cover the place where it was with a new cover from BMW, they have to have them since you can order the car without this option.

I don't know, it was just a thought. I personally don't think it would be very hard to do based on what I've already seen and done to my current BMW, but then again no one has actually seen the thing yet so maybe it wont be possible to move it.

Scandic24

So just to kill this thread about the location of the USB i/f:
The USB socket will be located INSIDE the armrest and NOT on the outside where the std AUX jack is located!
This has been confirmed in pictures and by several BMW product managers by the help from our friend JSpira (thanks)!