Apple Accidentally Leaked Its Working With BMW On iPhone CarKey

Last month, several sites reported that the Cupertino tech juggernaut is creating a new feature called CarKey. This rumored feature will allow drivers and users to gain access to their vehicles using their iPhones. 9to5Mac discovered the alleged virtual CarKey in Apple iOS 13.4 beta version.

Interestingly, a new set of details was once again dug by 9to5Mac. This time, the site uncovered that Apple is working alongside the auto giant BMW for the rumored CarKey feature. The German automaker is most likely the first to support this upcoming iPhone feature.

When the site asked BMW about this, the carmaker did not deny or confirm its involvement. It says, “Please understand that at this point we cannot confirm your request nor give you further details. We would like to refer you to our press release.” The Cupertino tech giant is part of the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC), which is currently working on the regular Digital Key Feature.

At present, the Digital Key feature is on its 2.0 build and supports NFC to Digital Key. The CCC is reportedly working on the 3.0 version, which would include support for the “location-aware keyless access,” reports Wccftech. Through this, users would be able to unlock their vehicles without the need to take their smartphone out.

The claims of 9to5Mac are seemingly backed by the screenshots shared on Twitter by DongleBookPro. It looks like these screenshots are from the unfinished version of iOS 14. The screenshots reveal how the Apple CarKey works with BMW i8. Based on the photos, it appears like Apple would be making an app, which would come with the virtual car keys along with their settings.

At present, the CarKey app looks like the Wallet app, with the image of the BMW i8 appearing as a card. Additionally, Apple is seemingly working on an Express Mode. It would enable users to gain access to their vehicles without the use of passcode or Face ID.

While these details come from reliable sources with enough pieces of evidence to back their claims, these are not yet official. Apple has been silent about the CarKey feature since it surfaced online.