Looking for iPhone 11 charging solutions with Smartphoe hub

[SeattleSenior]

Greetings! New Trek Allant+ owner with Smartphone hub. Using my iPhone 11 Max and running Cobi. However the bike didn’t include any cable or case option for charging the phone while riding. Looking for a source for either a cable or charging case.

Thanks, Wayne

 

[mallardadvisor]

The smartphone hub is the case.. my allant came with a short cable that connects my iPhone 11 to the hub. Ask trek for yours. When putting phone in hub, move it to the right so that the lock button doesn’t getpressed Inadvertently by the hub as you hit bumps.

 

[Hawkshead]

This is an extract of a letter I have sent to Bosch. I have also sent it to Riese and Müller who were unaware of the problem with the smartphone hub for iPhone 11 and 12 MAX users. If you have any other make of ebike such as Trek, Moustache etc .......please send a copy of this to the bike manufacturer to exert pressure on Bosch to remedy the situation.

Like many other people, I buy the latest iPhone each year, and I particularly like buying the MAX version. However, I cannot use the smartphone hub with my IPHONE 11 Pro Max or my new IPHONE 12 Pro Max without removing the phone case. The plastic spring mechanism in the Smartphone Hub is ONLY DEEP ENOUGH to accommodate the IPHONE without a case !!

On any bike ride I think this is unacceptable and it undermines the effective use of the Smartphone hub, and even the bike as well.

The Smartphone hub needs to be redesigned so that any new IPHONE within a normal protective case can be accommodated SAFELY. This would not have been such a problem if you still offered for sale the bespoke case for the IPHONE MAX that slides into the hub. However, Bosch only made this up until the X model of the iphone... 2 years ago! If you are marketing the Smartphone hub to consumers like me, it does not make any sense that you do not allow people who have the larger phones to use the HUB in a safe and reasonable way ( ie in a case !!!!!)

I look forward to your response………this cannot be a difficult problem to resolve.

After all, German technology is always superb and this product anomaly is letting down the reputation of Bosch for all your e-bike customers, and the customers of all the electric bike manufacturers that use the Bosch technology

With thanks and kind regards


Thanks

 

[William - Bosch Team]

Edit: [Just realized the original post was several months ago. In any case, hopefully my response will be a good reference for anyone else missing their charging cables.]

Hi Wayne,
The (3) different charging cables should be included with all SPH units, whether on a new eBike or as an aftermarket upgrade kit. Talk to your Trek dealer. Shop employees sometimes overlook the included accessories when sending a new bike out the door (I used to make this mistake myself from time to time.) If they can't find them on a shelf, they should be able to order you a new set from QBP.

 

[BooBoo]

William, are you still on this forum? Do you know if Bosch/COBI is making any iPhone 11 or 12 cases that fit? Like others have said, the bracket on my SPH failed immediately because phones do not fit, even with the slimmest of cases. I have an iPhone X now but I don’t really want to spend another $50-60 on an older phone. This should be considered a design flaw that Bosch needs to correct. You’d think they’d be rather embarrassed that this bracket problem makes people hate the SPH.

 

[retiredNH]

William, are you still on this forum? Do you know if Bosch/COBI is making any iPhone 11 or 12 cases that fit? Like others have said, the bracket on my SPH failed immediately because phones do not fit, even with the slimmest of cases. I have an iPhone X now but I don’t really want to spend another $50-60 on an older phone. This should be considered a design flaw that Bosch needs to correct. You’d think they’d be rather embarrassed that this bracket problem makes people hate the SPH.

Don't hold your breath. It's pretty clear the SPH is a dead end product. Nothing has changed with it for years. I'm surprised Bosch still sells it to bike manufacturers, and that the manufacturers still use it.

 

[Stephen - Bosch Team]

William, are you still on this forum? Do you know if Bosch/COBI is making any iPhone 11 or 12 cases that fit? Like others have said, the bracket on my SPH failed immediately because phones do not fit, even with the slimmest of cases. I have an iPhone X now but I don’t really want to spend another $50-60 on an older phone. This should be considered a design flaw that Bosch needs to correct. You’d think they’d be rather embarrassed that this bracket problem makes people hate the SPH.

Howdy, I was chatting with William over the weekend and told him I would respond to this. For MY22, we are coming out with iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max cases for the Smartphone Hub. They should arrive mid to late winter.

 

[BooBoo]

Thanks, Stephen. I am getting a new bracket on the hub today — warranty claim. Any suggestions for using my phone with it so the bracket ( and phone) doesn’t break again? I already have a cracked screen from all the problems. I have to use silicone bands to hold my phone in the bracket.

 

[Stephen - Bosch Team]

Thanks, Stephen. I am getting a new bracket on the hub today — warranty claim. Any suggestions for using my phone with it so the bracket ( and phone) doesn’t break again? I already have a cracked screen from all the problems. I have to use silicone bands to hold my phone in the bracket.

The Smartphone Universal mount can accommodate phone sizes (with existing cases installed) that measure a max width of 78.1mm and 8.3mm thick.

Hope this helps.

 

[First Light]

I have a new Trek Allant (ordered in April and delivered 30 days ago) and an iPhone 11 in a very thin silicone case and my iPhone in its silicone case fits fine in the Bosch bracket. The short charging cable that came with my Trek fits fine in the Bosch bracket as well as into my iPhone and I turn on COBI and the COBI app works fine. HOWEVER, the short iPhone charging cable "does not" keep my iPhone at charged while riding. I always start with the iPhone at 100% charge and when I finish a 46 mile ride, my iPhone battery capacity is down to 15% remaining charge - on a shorter ride of 34 miles, the iPhone has only a 35% charge remaining. Thoughts?

 

[Stephen - Bosch Team]

It sounds like the charge port in the Cobi.Bike app is not on. Check the two attached photos and ensure you are getting the charge icon illuminated when the phone is plugged in.

I have a new Trek Allant (ordered in April and delivered 30 days ago) and an iPhone 11 in a very thin silicone case and my iPhone in its silicone case fits fine in the Bosch bracket. The short charging cable that came with my Trek fits fine in the Bosch bracket as well as into my iPhone and I turn on COBI and the COBI app works fine. HOWEVER, the short iPhone charging cable "does not" keep my iPhone at charged while riding. I always start with the iPhone at 100% charge and when I finish a 46 mile ride, my iPhone battery capacity is down to 15% remaining charge - on a shorter ride of 34 miles, the iPhone has only a 35% charge remaining. Thoughts?

 

[First Light]

OK thanks a bunch - I did that. Will the "Charge Icon" now stay illuminated every time I open the app, or will I need to turn it on each time I ride?

And another question:

When I finish a ride and turn the bracket off, I can not find where to turn the COBI app off. I've roamed around the app and looked everywhere, but I can not find an "off" button anyplace to turn COBI off. Once I turn the bracket off, the COBI app keeps saying "Navigation Navigation" until I turn the iPhone off and back on - then the COBI app is off.

 

[Stephen - Bosch Team]

The charging setting should remain constant now that you have turned it on in the app.

As for turning the app off, there is no ability to do this. When I finish my rides, I remove the phone from the mount and close the app on my phone. This is the equivalent to an off button in my mind.

OK thanks a bunch - I did that. Will the "Charge Icon" now stay illuminated every time I open the app, or will I need to turn it on each time I ride?

And another question:

When I finish a ride and turn the bracket off, I can not find where to turn the COBI app off. I've roamed around the app and looked everywhere, but I can not find an "off" button anyplace to turn COBI off. Once I turn the bracket off, the COBI app keeps saying "Navigation Navigation" until I turn the iPhone off and back on - then the COBI app is off.