Apple says BMW wireless chargers really are messing with iPhone 15s::An Apple memo to authorized repair providers reportedly says BMW and Toyota Supra wireless chargers can disable iPhone 15 NFC chips.

  • weew@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    maybe BMW can introduce a monthly fee to disable features!

  • Nindelofocho@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    They’ll probably just tell people to deal with it and not use an iphone with a bmw like what they tell motorcycle riders

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldB
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    1 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Users have been reporting that their iPhone 15’s NFC chips were failing after using BMW’s in-car wireless charging, but until now, Apple hasn’t addressed the complaints.

    That seems to have changed as MacRumors reported this week that an Apple internal memo to third-party repair providers says a software update later this year should prevent a “small number” of in-car wireless chargers from “temporarily” disabling iPhone 15 NFC chips.

    (tldr: 1 sentences skipped)

    Users have been complaining about BMW wireless chargers breaking Apple Pay and the BMW digital key feature in posts on Reddit, Apple’s Support community, and MacRumors’ own forums.

    BMW seemed to acknowledge the issue early this month when the BMW UK X account replied to a complaint earlier this month saying the company is working with Apple to investigate the issue.

    There’s no easy way to know which models are affected, so for now, if you have a BMW or a Toyota Supra with a wireless charger, it’s probably best to just avoid using it until the problem is fixed.

    The Verge has reached out to Apple, BMW, and Toyota for a statement, but did not hear back by press time.


    The original article contains 211 words, the summary contains 193 words. Saved 9%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • danielfgom@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Let’s get something clear: a wireless charger CANNOT disable an NFC chip. They are two VASTLY DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES.

    A wireless charger is nothing more than a wire coil hooked up to electricity. That’s it. No smarts involved.

    BMW must likely have an NFC chip also mounted in the same place which for some reason is disabling the NFC on the iPhone.

    Maybe it’s trying to take a reading off the chip but after a while the iPhone disables the NFC because it doesn’t recognise the request? Or maybe Apple haven’t properly programmed properly? Who knows?

    • haydng@lemmy.nz
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      1 year ago

      Disagree.

      They can’t do it through software, but a wireless charger is inducing a current in a coil. NFC chips often use a coil antennal, and inducing a current in that could well trip a protective device, like a resettable fuse. It could be limited to these devices because of a particular resonance or harmonic they share

      • danielfgom@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It’s still VERY odd. Virtually every phone that has NFC and wireless charging have the 2 very close to each other. The charging coil is normally in the middle of the phone and the NFC a little above it.

        If there was a real chance that the NFC could EASILY be affected by a wireless charger, the engineers would not place the 2 so close together.

        Clearly something is up with Apple or BMW has got something else going on in there.

        Hopefully we’ll find out.

        Not that I care, I use Android and it works properly.