New iPhone 5 owners are going to be bummed out when they connect their shiny new toy to their BMW or Mini automobile. The 5’s new Lightning connector and the adapter required to convert the old 30-pin connector to the new connector won’t work with the automotive company’s iPod Out functionality.
iPod Out allows drivers to get a familiar, iPod-like interface displayed on the in-dash screen if they equipped their BMW and Mini models with the feature. The new Lightning connector eliminates the analog video signal required to transmit that display to the screen, so iPod Out functionality is dead … for now.
BMW wants to make it very clear that owners will still be able to listen to music, podcasts, and other audio over their car’s stereo, and also be able to access BMW Apps and Mini Connected features using the new Lightning adapter. But for now, the automaker’s PlugIn feature – enabling video playback while stationary and the mirrored Apple interface – is officially out.
BMW spokesman Dave Buchko said, “There is a lot we still don’t know, but BMW has a long history of finding compatibility solutions for iPods and smartphones where none existed.”
