A few weeks back, some individuals who had just unpacked their sleek new iPhone 15s in BMW vehicles observed an unusual occurrence. While these smartphones support wireless charging, utilizing the pad within the cars disabled the NFC chips, leading to malfunctions in Apple Pay contactless transactions and digital car key features. Users were hopeful that Apple and BMW might address this through software updates, and it seems they have succeeded: the newly released iOS 17.1.1 now restores NFC functionalities and averts any further glitches when employing induction charging “in specific vehicles,” as indicated in the release notes.
This outcome is highly favorable since numerous users were worried that the iPhone 15 series, known for running hot under heavy usage or during charging, especially the more potent Pro editions, was being adversely affected by BMW’s charging mechanism. Following the initial reports, a Reddit user commented, “The wireless charger in my G20 is essentially an oven heater.” On October 2, BMW mentioned to The Drive that they were “investigating” the issue, and evidently, a software update is all that’s necessary to rectify the situation.
If you have an older iPhone like this model, don’t worry—you should be safe. BMW
Although wireless charging should never render your phone useless, it is often an inefficient way to charge, especially in vehicle setups where the installed charging pads may not be as capable as those designed for home use by Apple or reputable third-party manufacturers. For instance, my Ford Fiesta ST supports CarPlay but predates wireless CarPlay and charging. Even if these options had been available at the time, it’s unlikely my budget-friendly vehicle would have supported them.
The USB-to-Lightning cable does an excellent job of establishing a reliable link with the car for swift charging, which is why I’m consistently disappointed whenever I contemplate switching to a completely wireless approach with my iPhone 14 Pro in a more upscale, modern car. The demands of CarPlay over Bluetooth, alongside activities like streaming audio or taking calls, combined with the sluggish nature of many built-in automotive wireless chargers, typically result in my device’s battery draining faster than the pad can replenish it. It’s quite a lopsided exchange, with minimal convenience. Additionally, in my experience, wireless CarPlay tends to introduce latency.
In any case, if you own one of the latest iPhone models and drive a BMW or Toyota GR Supra, you can rest assured that your phone and vehicle will once again cooperate seamlessly. At least until a future update triggers another issue. Such is the reality of technology.
Have a suggestion? Reach out to us at tips@thedrive.com
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
