X1 gets iDrive 9 first
Less than two years ago, BMW presented the current eighth generation of the iDrive system, but the next generation is already emerging. A completely new version even, based on Android.
In March 2021, BMW unveiled an all-new eighth version of iDrive in the all-electric BMW iX. Remarkably enough, a completely new iDrive system is now on its way. iDrive 9 has already been shown at CES in Las Vegas and thanks BMW Blog the first details are known. The design is still very similar to iDrive 8, with the big difference that the layout of the various windows has been overhauled. It looks just a bit more minimalistic, with fewer shortcuts on the screen. The biggest news is that it is based on Android, where iDrive 8 still ran on its own software.
For example, the Android base allows you to install various apps that you can use on an Android phone. iDrive 9 gets an app store that lets you download and install those apps. In that sense you can speak of a fusion of Android Auto and iDrive. Fans of physical buttons to operate things may be less happy with the changes, because in the new BMW X1, which will be the first to receive BMW iDrive 9 in a few months, you have to operate everything in the system via the touchscreen. The new BMW X2 and yet-to-be-revealed Minis will also get it.
What about the other existing models? BMW iDrive 8.5 is ready for this. That is a further development of iDrive 8 and although it looks the same as iDrive 9, it does not work on an Android basis. In iDrive 8.5 you will not find the aforementioned app store. The software architecture of those cars would not allow an upgrade to iDrive 9.
Pictured: iDrive 8. The first images of iDrive 9 and 8.5 have not yet been shared publicly by BMW.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl