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BMW Makes Digital Key Available on Android Phones, Starting With Galaxy S21 and Pixel 6

BMW is making its Digital Key technology available to more users by enabling it for Android operating system-based smartphones, starting with the Samsung Galaxy S21 series and the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Thanks to this update, the number of compatible smartphone models will increase exponentially.
BMW digital key 6 photos
Photo: BMW
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BMW Digital Key is now available on the Google Pixel 6 and 6 Pro in the United States, Canada, UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Singapore. Meanwhile, Samsung Galaxy S21 / S21+ and S21 Ultra users will be able to use the technology as long as they reside in either France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain, UK or the United States.

So, what’s the big deal here, you ask? Well, it’s all about making life easier for people who’d rather use their smartphone instead of a traditional key. This is what BMW Digital Key means, basically – the ability to unlock and lock your BMW simply by holding your phone next to the driver-side door handle.

You can also start the engine by placing the mobile phone in the BMW wireless charging compartment, and as far as safety is concerned, the BMW Digital Key is stored on the secure element of the smartphone and can be easily configured through the My BMW app. This means it’s available as an option for pretty much all BMW models.

In the next release, the carmaker will make it possible for you to share the key with five friends, followed by the introduction of the BMW Digital Key Plus on ultra-wide band, also for smartphones with Android operating systems.

BMW see themselves as pioneers in the field of keyless entry systems, especially with regards to the use of a smartphone as a digital key. This latest stage of development is the result of a close collaboration between the German brand and tech giants Google and Samsung.
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About the author: Sergiu Tudose
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Sergiu got to experience both American and European car "scenes" at an early age (his father drove a Ford Fiesta XR2 supermini in the 80s). After spending over 15 years at local and international auto publications, he's starting to appreciate comfort behind the wheel more than raw power and acceleration.
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