[Yattara]

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1202020

Someone opened a thread about on this topic in the forum. Is it really possible with combox??

[Boston4]

The Combox functionality allows the factory Telephone section of the CIC to read recent SMS messages - this also works on iPhones with iMessages. It did not work with WhatsApp, so the guy who posted that original thread made an Android app that made the WhatsApp messages show up in the CIC system. That post is six years old and the app is likely neither supported nor functional at this point.

If you have a CIC system without a Combox, rather than installing a Combox, it's probably worthwhile to just install an AndroidAuto/Carplay MMI so that you can use one of those systems instead. You should be able to use WhatsApp the same way you'd use it in any newer car using AA/CarPlay. This does not require replacing the screen (and is operated with the iDrive controller rather than a touchscreen).

[Hoody007]

Did not realize that the Combox was able to parse iMessages as well.
Makes a Combox retrofit for ~$120 even more attractive...

What CarPlay unit did you end up going with? I'm quite happy with the updated CIC maps, as the car still receives RTTI info, but eventually BMW will stop releasing map updates...

[Boston4]

Originally Posted by Hoody007

Did not realize that the Combox was able to parse iMessages as well.
Makes a Combox retrofit for ~$120 even more attractive...

What CarPlay unit did you end up going with? I'm quite happy with the updated CIC maps, as the car still receives RTTI info, but eventually BMW will stop releasing map updates...

I will say that the benefit of the Combox functionality is that it will let you read most messages on the screen, rather than CarPlay, which won't display the text and will have Siri read you the messages. When you get a new message, it will display a little envelope icon in the top right corner - if you hit the Telephone button on the iDrive controller and scroll down to Messages, it'll show the message and have the option for the BMW Voice Assistant to read it to you.

Ultimately I prefer the Carplay solution, especially because the routing and speed trap information from Waze is vastly superior to the BMW system. I used the one from this guide on M3Post, but note that the instructions in this guide are no longer applicable because the producer of this particular system has updated it to a newer version. In the later pages, there are some alternatives discussed.

I'm not sure how hard it is to retrofit a combox. Adding the Carplay took about 2.5 hours - the only difficult part is getting everything to fit behind the dash. The kit cost $200 shipped.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Boston4

I will say that the benefit of the Combox functionality is that it will let you read most messages on the screen, rather than CarPlay, which won't display the text and will have Siri read you the messages. When you get a new message, it will display a little envelope icon in the top right corner - if you hit the Telephone button on the iDrive controller and scroll down to Messages, it'll show the message and have the option for the BMW Voice Assistant to read it to you.

Ultimately I prefer the Carplay solution, especially because the routing and speed trap information from Waze is vastly superior to the BMW system. I used the one from this guide on M3Post, but note that the instructions in this guide are no longer applicable because the producer of this particular system has updated it to a newer version. In the later pages, there are some alternatives discussed.

I'm not sure how hard it is to retrofit a combox. Adding the Carplay took about 2.5 hours - the only difficult part is getting everything to fit behind the dash. The kit cost $200 shipped.

I went from CCC to CIC and TCU/MULF to combox.

combox install will take you two hours and you can repin the existing wires directly into new connector if you knock the stud out of the mount and move the combox towards the center.
You end up with this.
no extra connectors other than the required combox one.

I've thrilled with the improvements. the MMI video switcher android auto thing is next for me. I just didn't want to do it with the CCC since the screen resolution is terrible.
I feel like the CIC screen has just barely enough resolution to be useful displaying android auto maps.
I also did the rennline dash mount for the phone.
Brought it from 2008 to 2015 levels of technology anyway.

edit:
You could probably do combox mounting better if you didn't have SDARS back there, but my external SDARS unit has a lifetime sub, so it had to stay.

[Boston4]

The photo I posted above is the normal CIC screen - the resolution isn’t phenomenal but text is crisp and the maps look good. I haven’t tried screen mirroring to watch videos (which I believe is supported if you’re into that) but if that’s your main use case a new screen would probably be a good idea.

[nsjames]

Originally Posted by Boston4

The photo I posted above is the normal CIC screen - the resolution isn’t phenomenal but text is crisp and the maps look good. I haven’t tried screen mirroring to watch videos (which I believe is supported if you’re into that) but if that’s your main use case a new screen would probably be a good idea.

I'm like you in that I just want waze on the screen.

Can you listen to another input with the screen mirrored or does it take over everything when you switch to it?
Can I leave it in sat radio and see the screen if I just don't change the CIC input to the cd changer?

[Hoody007]

Originally Posted by Boston4

I will say that the benefit of the Combox functionality is that it will let you read most messages on the screen, rather than CarPlay, which won't display the text and will have Siri read you the messages. When you get a new message, it will display a little envelope icon in the top right corner - if you hit the Telephone button on the iDrive controller and scroll down to Messages, it'll show the message and have the option for the BMW Voice Assistant to read it to you.

Ultimately I prefer the Carplay solution, especially because the routing and speed trap information from Waze is vastly superior to the BMW system. I used the one from this guide on M3Post, but note that the instructions in this guide are no longer applicable because the producer of this particular system has updated it to a newer version. In the later pages, there are some alternatives discussed.

I'm not sure how hard it is to retrofit a combox. Adding the Carplay took about 2.5 hours - the only difficult part is getting everything to fit behind the dash. The kit cost $200 shipped.

Thanks for the info! I was still under the impression that CarPlay was $500+ - that's how much it was a few years back when I first looked into it. Good to know.

FWIW the CIC display is 1280x480, not bad at all considering the distance from the driver - that's 155ppi, which is better than most computer monitors and is near-retina display quality at that distance.

[Boston4]

Originally Posted by nsjames

I'm like you in that I just want waze on the screen.

Can you listen to another input with the screen mirrored or does it take over everything when you switch to it?
Can I leave it in sat radio and see the screen if I just don't change the CIC input to the cd changer?

Yes, the CIC sound input source is independent of what’s on the screen - you can pick AM/FM/Satellite, you just wouldn’t hear nav prompts or anything else sourced from CarPlay. From the CIC’s perspective, it doesn’t know that you’re not looking at the normal screen. You’re just inputting a new box in between the CIC and the screen and it can take over the screen signal to show whatever it wants.

It’s clever - when you shift into reverse, it automatically comes up with the parking sensor view without any setup required.

[NightmarishPT]

Hey guys, what is the best setup that you can run?

Currently im sitting on a CCC.
The best option is to retrofit CIC plus adding an android screen?

[brawlspecials]

Originally Posted by NightmarishPT

Hey guys, what is the best setup that you can run?

Currently im sitting on a CCC.
The best option is to retrofit CIC plus adding an android screen?

You can upgrade to CIC which will let you add an Android screen. This is the best setup you can use.