For some reason it seems like this should have happened some time ago, but BMW has become the first car manufacturer to turn an iPhone into a fully functional car key. The innovation will be a relief to those higher-end BMW owners whose cars currently use the company’s smart key (below), which features its own display and is approximately the size, shape and weight of a King James bible. Not really. It’s massive though.
The so-called Digital Key for iPhone is the latest BMW-Apple first, with the manufacturer previously being the first to offer proper iPod integration, then later wireless Apple CarPlay. Soon, iPhone users will be able to store the key in their Apple Wallet app alongside their credit card, Waitrose loyalty card and old cinema tickets that they can't figure out how to remove.
It’s compatible with Apple Watch, it can be shared with up to five people via iMessage, and it will even work for up to five hours after the phone has run out of charge, hopefully preventing owners being locked out of their car due to bad battery management.
In addition, it allows parents who own a BMW to nanny kids who borrow the car, enabling them to restrict top speed, radio volume and even horsepower.
It’ll be compatible with the vast majority of BMW models built after July 1, and those with an iPhone XR/XS onwards will be able to use it, and the newest Apple Watch, the Series 5.
Keyword: BMW releases world’s first Apple iPhone smart car key