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The more we put on our smart phone, the more we become handcuffed to it. Before you know it, if we ever lost it, broke it, or it crashed permanently, we would be S.O.L.
It’s a great idea for a backup, but there is something to be said for keys separate from a phone.
Yes there should be a backup but let's not forget that the same can happen to physical keys - they get misplaced, damaged/broken, software glitch.
We do a lot of things on our phones now like tap to pay vs cash and credit cards, stream music vs CDs, take pictures vs camera, Google maps vs paper maps, boarding passes vs printed tickets, etc. Nothing wrong with letting it do one more thing if it's capable.
My point is that once you put your key in your pocket, you do nothing else. It just works. You’re adding steps to a process that wasn’t needed before. It’s not convenient at all.
My point is that once you put your key in your pocket, you do nothing else. It just works. You’re adding steps to a process that wasn’t needed before. It’s not convenient at all.
You are right. It is a choice between doing fewer steps or carrying fewer items.
I like having the choice. BMW does a good job of covering all bases. Key Fob that wakes up the car when you are within 10 ft, switches to your profile (moves the seat, etc.) and unlocks the door. For those times when I don't remember or don't want to carry a FOB the Phone unlocks the door with a tap, and is placed in the charger to turn on the car. By the way, the charger is positioned so the phone doesn't move during hard braking. BMW has one more trick. They have a credit card that works the same way as the phone to tap unlock and be placed in the charger to turn on the car. I keep this in my wallet all the time as the final line of backup.
Is all of this needed or necessary? No. I guess that's the definition of luxury.
I love my MB GLE 450e for the luxury comfort, ride and cabin. They are just a few steps behind BMW in electronic convenience.
You are right. It is a choice between doing fewer steps or carrying fewer items.
I like having the choice. BMW does a good job of covering all bases. Key Fob that wakes up the car when you are within 10 ft, switches to your profile (moves the seat, etc.) and unlocks the door. For those times when I don't remember or don't want to carry a FOB the Phone unlocks the door with a tap, and is placed in the charger to turn on the car. By the way, the charger is positioned so the phone doesn't move during hard braking. BMW has one more trick. They have a credit card that works the same way as the phone to tap unlock and be placed in the charger to turn on the car. I keep this in my wallet all the time as the final line of backup.
Is all of this needed or necessary? No. I guess that's the definition of luxury.
I love my MB GLE 450e for the luxury comfort, ride and cabin. They are just a few steps behind BMW in electronic convenience.
You’re right. I had a 17 Acura MDX that had smart keys. I do miss that. My wife is quite a bit shorter than me. When I drive her car, the 450e, I start the car and the seat starts moving forward until I tap my picture. Then it moves back. When I had the MDX, the seat would start to move as soon as I opened the door.
I don’t understand the frustration of having to carry a key. We have been carrying keys forever. You can’t tell me that having to take your phone out of your pocket, tapping the door handle, Then putting it on a charging pad, where it can fly away if you make a sudden stop is more convenient than having to do none of that stuff. I would never totally trust the phone as a key.
Thats not how the latest phone as key systems work, just FYI. The phone stays in your pocket just like the key fob and you don't have to take it out. They operate just like smart key access you just don't need to carry a fob.
I will tell you how I started being annoyed by keys. I don't like a bunch of stuff in my pockets. I used to have a holster for my phone, had my keys in my left pocket and my wallet in my right. Putting a wallet in my back pocket messes up my back. When I had my LS460s they can come with a wallet card fob. I got that and started carrying it in my wallet, so I no longer needed keys and no longer needed a phone holster. So, when I went to Mercedes going back to a key was a big annoyance. Phones have gotten so big a holster now is annoying, so thats why I got these covers and started clipping my fob to my belt...which I still do.
I would LOVE phone as key. I don't carry any keys now, my home is totally keyless...I still carry a wallet but honestly the only place I ever produce a card is a restaurant, everywhere else is Apple Pay and more and more restaurants can do Apple Pay now. Drivers License is in my phone as are my insurance cards etc. Looking forward to the day where all I have to carry is my phone. Just got back from travelling by air basically the whole month, never produced anything physical. Boarding passes, my ID etc are all on my phone. Stayed in a Hilton on one trip, their room keys are in their app. Was at Disney, room keys park tickets everything in the app and Apple Wallet. Don't even need a separate MagicBand at Disney anymore, its in my Apple Wallet and works through my watch. Awesome.
Yes, I have a lot on my phone, Haven’t been to Disney since they went to the phone. I still carry my credit cards even though I use Apple Pay mostly. Yesterday, I went to use the app somewhere and I had to reboot the phone. I hate when that happens. I hate to be in line and have to wait for someone who is paying cash. I’m a worrier. Even though I have a keypad for both my front door and my garage, I still carry my key.
Not carrying any keys here, I clip the key to whatever car I’m driving on my belt and that’s it. You have to have confidence that the technology will work. What are the odds that every keypad to my house will go bad at the same time? I’ve never had a phone reboot when trying to use Apple Pay either.
A phone is fine unless..... You get an IOS or Android update that doesn't work (annually or more often); you break your phone (I just did); or a lot of other things. I want a key, and will make the "sacrifice" for better reliably.
I'm OK with touching the door handle to get in, since you have to touch it to open the door, locked or unlocked.
Talking about belt clips, I really like this dual chamber one especially if you valet often, which I do once or twice a month. I put my house keys in first and then my car keys so it's really easy to slip the car key out for valet. I switched to this from a caribiner because I lost some house keys when I was slipping it onto my belt loop. I still carry a house key even though we have a smart lock because we only have one smart lock into the house and it doesn't have a battery backup method so until I install a second smart lock elsewhere or put one in a lockbox inside the garage, it still makes sense to carry a house key for me.
Here's the clip I use:
Nite Ize GS3-11-R6 G-Series Dual Chamber Carabiner, Size #3 1-Pack, Stainless Steel https://a.co/d/1Ri1RPN
A phone is fine unless..... You get an IOS or Android update that doesn't work (annually or more often); you break your phone (I just did); or a lot of other things. I want a key, and will make the "sacrifice" for better reliably.
I'm OK with touching the door handle to get in, since you have to touch it to open the door, locked or unlocked.
I have never had an iOS update that didn’t work. Have never broken a phone. Lots of things can happen to your key too, it can be lost, it can be broken, it can flood, it can malfunction.
The point is the risk is really just perceived risk and isn’t actually a difference in risk.
Cars that have these features do also come with keys so you can choose. As soon as I have a car with phone as key though I will put my keys in my dresser drawer and never look at them again, my wife is the same way.
SW20S, I empathize with you regarding the wallet. Not so much because it messed up my back, but because I had a sense that it would be a lot easier in a crowd for my wallet to get lifted from my back pocket, instead of my front.
So a warning to all you guys who carry George Costanza wallets(S9E12) in your back pocket, if you put 1 more item in there, it will go up in smoke like a confetti firecracker.
I have never had an iOS update that didn’t work. Have never broken a phone. Lots of things can happen to your key too, it can be lost, it can be broken, it can flood, it can malfunction.
The point is the risk is really just perceived risk and isn’t actually a difference in risk.
Cars that have these features do also come with keys so you can choose. As soon as I have a car with phone as key though I will put my keys in my dresser drawer and never look at them again, my wife is the same way.
I guess I feel trapped by my phone and would rather leave it in the dresser drawer and never look at it again.
And since I don't have to have all these backup "key" cards that are surrogate phones, my wallet is thinner too.
I miss the VW Porsche Audi strategy of your profile being attached to your phone, but early announcements from Mercedes stated that they thought that strategy invited theft. I don't know how it could, but at least they're not on the "Steal Me" list like Hyundai Kia.
I guess I feel trapped by my phone and would rather leave it in the dresser drawer and never look at it again.
And since I don't have to have all these backup "key" cards that are surrogate phones, my wallet is thinner too.
I miss the VW Porsche Audi strategy of your profile being attached to your phone, but early announcements from Mercedes stated that they thought that strategy invited theft. I don't know how it could, but at least they're not on the "Steal Me" list like Hyundai Kia.
Most people carry their phones everywhere though, I never am without my phone.
What backup key cards? The point is to just carry your phone. Im very close to my wallet not existing at all.
I started with a bag phone, and have all those shiny new features, but I don't want all my eggs in one basket.
That's why some earlier posters said they keep their Marque's credit card key in their wallet.
You're you.
I started with a bag phone, and have all those shiny new features, but I don't want all my eggs in one basket.
That's why some earlier posters said they keep their Marque's credit card key in their wallet.
You're you.
They design technology for the masses, I think most people do carry their phones around with them all the time, at least from what I see.
A backup credit card is a lot easier to carry than a fob, IMO
I'll leave my wallet and phone securely locked in the car while I go to the Hot Springs. A "Key" opens it, having survived in a waterproof pocket.
I though that was pretty clever, because it saves ironing wet currency later, while I wait at the phone repair store until they decide if soaking it was a covered event.
I like my key. It's convenient the way I use it.
You aren't going to change my mind, no matter how much you protest.
I do think my next car will be blue, though, so we won't have that to argue about that.
A credit card doesn't have to be in a waterproof pocket...it can be in any pocket. If you have a waterproof pocket...it won't keep a phone dry?
I'm not trying to change your mind, I was answering the question "why do people have an issue with fobs". For some people change can be really, really difficult...clearly this is one of those areas for you and its not a logic thing so all the logical arguments in the world aren't going to change your mind. You want a key and thats just how it is.
Eventually though, car keys are going to be in your phone and cars won't come with physical keys anymore. Think of the cost savings...that alone will compel carmakers to do that.
A credit card doesn't have to be in a waterproof pocket...it can be in any pocket. If you have a waterproof pocket...it won't keep a phone dry?
I'm not trying to change your mind, I was answering the question "why do people have an issue with fobs". For some people change can be really, really difficult...clearly this is one of those areas for you and its not a logic thing so all the logical arguments in the world aren't going to change your mind. You want a key and thats just how it is.
Eventually though, car keys are going to be in your phone and cars won't come with physical keys anymore. Think of the cost savings...that alone will compel carmakers to do that.
I'll be rushing out to REI to find swimwear that has an acceptable assortment of waterproof pockets to carry all my future electronic devices. I'll PM you to get your approval. Thanks for your sage advice.
(Me jumping into my shopping bunker gear.......)
I would be so lost in life if it weren't for swell advice like this. I'm so happy!
A credit card doesn't have to be in a waterproof pocket...it can be in any pocket. If you have a waterproof pocket...it won't keep a phone dry?
I'm not trying to change your mind, I was answering the question "why do people have an issue with fobs". For some people change can be really, really difficult...clearly this is one of those areas for you and its not a logic thing so all the logical arguments in the world aren't going to change your mind. You want a key and thats just how it is.
Eventually though, car keys are going to be in your phone and cars won't come with physical keys anymore. Think of the cost savings...that alone will compel carmakers to do that.
Not all change is good. And sometimes when “change” is implemented, it has to be rescinded, when it proves to be a massive failure.
I'll be rushing out to REI to find swimwear that has an acceptable assortment of waterproof pockets to carry all my future electronic devices. I'll PM you to get your approval. Thanks for your sage advice.
(Me jumping into my shopping bunker gear.......)
I would be so lost in life if it weren't for swell advice like this. I'm so happy!
Relax lol. You think I'm arguing with you, I'm not. You want what you want and theres nothing wrong with that. Its like EV vs ICE cars, most people who say an EV wouldn't work for them, it actually would work just fine...they just don't want one. You want a key, nothing wrong with that.
Originally Posted by MB2timer
Not all change is good. And sometimes when “change” is implemented, it has to be rescinded, when it proves to be a massive failure.
For sure not all change is good, but this is a change that I am pretty confident will work out fine. People said all this same stuff when keyless entry and start systems came out (whats the big deal about taking your keys out of your pocket? what if the system fails? A metal key never fails), and here we are 20+ years into keyless entry and start systems and everybody is fine. Look at all the Teslas running around, all those people... their keys are on their phone and they do fine. More and more carmakers including MB are adopting this and it will be the future if only that it saves manufacturers the cost of including physical keys with a car.
I started with a bag phone, and have all those shiny new features, but I don't want all my eggs in one basket.
That's why some earlier posters said they keep their Marque's credit card key in their wallet.
You're you.
Yes there is a minimal risk. But I care very little about it when I drive locally on an errand and care much more when I'm on a long distance road trip.
So can I do everything with just my phone? Yup. But not always.
I honestly see it as a VHS/Betamax debate. Betamax was clearly a better quality product, but in the end VHS won the day, as it was more popular.
This iPhone debate might end up in the same place. With smart watches, smart rings, and smart glasses, they might win the day. Who knows what the future will bring, but it will have to take into account the performance in the past. Fingerprint, retina, facial recognition, rfid, QR codes, bar codes. I just hope that it never gets to the place where you have to provide a blood sample every time you unlock your car door.
I honestly see it as a VHS/Betamax debate. Betamax was clearly a better quality product, but in the end VHS won the day, as it was more popular.
This iPhone debate might end up in the same place. With smart watches, smart rings, and smart glasses, they might win the day. Who knows what the future will bring, but it will have to take into account the performance in the past. Fingerprint, retina, facial recognition, rfid, QR codes, bar codes. I just hope that it never gets to the place where you have to provide a blood sample every time you unlock your car door.
There are 3 factors to secure access control :
1. Who you are (biometrics ie fingerprint, retina, voice etc.)
2. What you have (devices like key, fob, card, phone etc.)
3. What you know (challenges like password, pin, questions etc.)
Depending on security level needed and convenience expected select one, two, or three of the above.
Relax lol. You think I'm arguing with you, I'm not. You want what you want and theres nothing wrong with that. Its like EV vs ICE cars, most people who say an EV wouldn't work for them, it actually would work just fine...they just don't want one. You want a key, nothing wrong with that.
........
You've argued with me every chance you get. You've argued about the percentage of back-end profits, whether wax should be used on an automobile (how Luddite of me), and now it's whether I should be waiting for my phone to unlock my car.
But my phone can't unlock my car. Which is fine with me.
I wouldn't buy a car just because I don't want to use a key.
And I wouldn't derail a Leather Key Cover thread to preach about iPhones.
Even if I desperately needed a chance to argue, debate, denigrate and spew. That's what Facebook is for.
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Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
