Spotify Mystery

[spantheman]

I am totally dazed and confused by Spotify sighting a couple of days ago. I have been Blutoothing my Spotify Playlists from my Android phone to iDrive for a couple of years now. Was disappointed that I couldn't see the Artist Info on the display (always said unknown artist) but grateful for smaller mercies like being able to skip tracks.
2 days ago I selected my phone on the iDrive to play some music and to my amazement, delight etc...the artist /track info was on the display in glorious monochrome. Pulling over into a layby to calm down, I selected other playlists and artist info was there ...a beautiful moment..
I am now at rock bottom as I have not been able to replicate this out of body experience since.
Can anyone explain how/why/what might be going on?

 

[Scubaregs]

Look on the bright side, you managed to replicate this post. :rofl:

 

[spantheman]

.... Was quite proud of that!

 

[AnubisZed]

Not sure why it did, then didn't :?

But is your firmware up to date?

Go into "Settings" and down to "Software"...
This was my "Before" state



And once I did the update this was the after



Alas BMW site no longer gives this update out, but I've got it here....
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/0k7bhweh1vevu0q/AAAX_MBfkhz47SOJpdxrCUida?dl=0

(** ADMIN** please do not delete this, this is exactly the software that BMW used to give out, but no longer do for some reason, so our "older" BMW's are left as-is!!)
Instructions are included on how to load this software within the download
BMW won't be making any more updates for this version of the iDrive (CIC), and this was released back in 2015.

 

[spantheman]

Never looked into this...my hunch is that it's a simple "fix" as 2 years with nothing and then one day with everything and now back to nothing. Perhaps it's something to do with how I connect my phone and start Spotifying ?

 

[AnubisZed]

Never looked into this...my hunch is that it's a simple "fix" as 2 years with nothing and then one day with everything and now back to nothing. Perhaps it's something to do with how I connect my phone and start Spotifying ?

It's a BMW, there's never a "simple fix" for anything :rofl:

So I'm running my Samsung A52 on my headunit and it displays the song information from Spotify, but I have updated my software as I posted above. That update was for bluetooth conectivity as well as more media properties, ie; it works with more modern phones, I'm seriously suggesting you do the update, after all you've nothing to loose and it only takes a couple of minutes to do

As for how you connect it, I'd assume it connects straight away via Bluetooth, so I'm also assuming you are going into External Devices and then to Bluetooth phone for you connection?

 

[pvr]

As an aside, did your phone update the android version as well? Every update there opens a box full of surprises so we have found …

 

[spantheman]

My phone is a newbie...will check whether all up-to-date. Many thanks for all of your guidance with this. I have to admit I'm a real technophobe...need to go back to college! I guess the most frustrating issue was the now you see it now you don't scenario .. only ever happened once .can't get my head round that

 

[pvr]

Is your phone sometimes connected via a cable as well by any change (ie you were charging it) as the system recognises that as well as a source

 

[spantheman]

Nope...never connected by a cable in the car

 

[B21]

I was chuckling about Android and how sweet life was with Apple..

Then my newly found Ukrainian cousin loaded a wet bag and lots of cold fruit and veg in the boot and my idrive then started rebooting endlessly..I suspect due to condensation getting into the optical feed to the amp…

Removing said items returned idrive to normal…but..now I have no artwork displayed…very weird…

 

[spantheman]

Aha!...have sussed it...Open Spotify on my iPhone before switching on the ignition and alacazamabracadabra, all info beautifully displayed on the screen....

 

[AnubisZed]

Aha!...have sussed it...Open Spotify on my iPhone before switching on the ignition and alacazamabracadabra, all info beautifully displayed on the screen....

Arrr, excellent glad you've sorted it

 

[Beeacon]

To make your life a little easier, you can set up an automation in the 'Shortcuts' app, so when the phone connects to the car, it can open an app, in this case, spotify. This might save you having to remember!