Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Apple reportedly working with BMW on CarKey feature, spotted in iOS 14 code

By

Apple is reportedly working with BMW for the rumored CarKey feature, which has appeared in iOS 14 code after being first spotted in the iOS 13.4 beta.

Recommended Videos

The code for iOS 13.4 contained references to a CarKey API, according to 9to5Mac. The feature will allow iPhone and Apple Watch owners to unlock and lock the doors of NFC-compatible cars, and to start them up. CarKey is expected to work even if the devices have run out of battery, and even if they have no access to the internet.

The digital keys will be located in Apple’s Wallet app, and they may even be shared with other people through the Messages app. Vehicle owners will be able to grant permanent access to their cars, such as to parents or a spouse, or temporary access, such as for a friend who wants to borrow it for a weekend or a valet driver.

9to5Mac has now spotted evidence from the code of iOS 14 that suggests Apple is working with BMW as the first car manufacturer that will adopt CarKey. BMW was also the first to adopt Apple’s Wireless CarPlay, so this comes as no surprise.

Screenshots uploaded on Twitter also apparently show the user interface for CarKey, which is already included in the release version of iOS 13.4.

Ready to take the i8 for a spin @MaxWinebach? pic.twitter.com/bmKqY71BEd

— Dongle (@DongleBookPro) March 23, 2020

There are questions about the legitimacy of the screenshots due to certain abnormalities, including the explanation for Express Mode referring to Express Cards instead, and the spacing for text in the Set CarKey Access Type menu appears awkward. However, since this is not yet a fully rolled out feature, it may not yet have received a final polish from Apple.

iPhone 11’s ultra-wideband chip

Apple’s CarKey may utilize the ultra-wideband chip that was introduced on the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, according to 9to5Mac. So far, the chip has only been used for minor improvements to the AirDrop wireless data transfer feature. With the Apple Watch mentioned in the iOS 13.4 beta code, a future model of the smartwatch may soon also be equipped with the UWB chip.

In addition to CarKey, another expected upcoming application for the UWB chip is for AirTags, Apple’s rumored tracking product similar to Tile.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Aaron Mamiit
Aaron Mamiit
Contributor
Aaron received a NES and a copy of Super Mario Bros. for Christmas when he was 4 years old, and he has been fascinated with…
An Apple insider just revealed how iOS 18’s AI features will work
An iPhone 15 Pro Max laying face-down outside, showing the Natural Titanium color.

As Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) inches closer, the chatter around the company’s AI work has taken a feverish turn. In a year when smartphone and computing brands have focused solely on AI niceties, Apple has been uncharacteristically silent around the AI hype — eliciting concern about the brand missing the train.

However, a new report has given us a closer look at how Apple's AI dreams may come to fruition with its iOS 18 update later this year.
New details on Apple's AI plans

Read more
Here’s how Apple could change your iPhone forever
An iPhone 15 Pro Max laying on its back, showing its home screen.

Over the past few months, Apple has released a steady stream of research papers detailing its work with generative AI. So far, Apple has been tight-lipped about what exactly is cooking in its research labs, while rumors circulate that Apple is in talks with Google to license its Gemini AI for iPhones.

But there have been a couple of teasers of what we can expect. In February, an Apple research paper detailed an open-source model called MLLM-Guided Image Editing (MGIE) that is capable of media editing using natural language instructions from users. Now, another research paper on Ferret UI has sent the AI community into a frenzy.

Read more
This one thing could make iOS 18 the best iPhone update in years
The Home Screen on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Apple’s WWDC 2024 is just a couple of months away. As with every WWDC, we’ll see what Apple has in store for the next generation of software across its hardware portfolio, including the iPhone with iOS 18.

Rumors have been swirling about iOS 18 and how it will be “one of the biggest updates yet.” We know some features like RCS support in Messages are definitely coming, with other whispers of big home screen customization changes and more.

Read more