Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Apple
CarPlay has long been considered the more stable and reliable alternative to Android Auto, so in some ways, Apple's walled garden worked like a charm.
The iPhone 15 launch changed everything about CarPlay.
The switch from Lightning to USB-C has made CarPlay a bug party, turning what users knew as a super-simple experience into a struggle to get the in-car experience to run.
Users have been flooding Apple with bug reports over the broken CarPlay in their cars, with one such thread on the company's discussion board having hundreds of posts and just as many "me too" votes. All come from iPhone 15 buyers who want CarPlay in their cars but end up struggling due to the USB-C port.
Everything worked perfectly with the Lightning port on the iPhone 14, all these users say, and switching to USB-C seems to have broken CarPlay.
Users who posted on this thread, and I advise you to check it out because it perfectly highlights how confusing USB-C has made CarPlay for the majority of iPhone 15 buyers, believe the issue could reside in their devices, the software powering it, or even their cars.
But at the end of the day, the culprit is just one: the USB-C cable they use to connect the iPhone to the head unit.
Compared to Lightning, USB-C cables could easily mislead users into believing they're using a high-quality cord. In reality, the number of cheap, poor, and worth-nothing USB-C cables is overwhelming – you can find them for as much as $1 on the likes of eBay, AliExpress, and Wish. Sure enough, using a high-quality cable from a famous company like Anker should guarantee a more stable experience, but some say that not even Apple's adapter works.
If you, too, are struggling with CarPlay on your new iPhone 15, the first thing you should check is the cable. If possible, use the cable that comes in the box (if your car comes with a USB-C port for running CarPlay). If you must purchase a new cable, get one from a renowned maker, such as Anker – Apple already sells a USB-A to USB-C cable in the Apple Store, and it's likely the best choice for those struggling with CarPlay.
There's nothing wrong with your car or the iPhone. It all comes down to the cable, as using a cheap USB-C cord to run CarPlay is very likely to provide an unstable connection – if CarPlay even launches in the first place.
However, the saga shows that Apple unintentionally turned CarPlay into a confusing mess. The company never wanted to switch to USB-C but had no other option. New regulations in Europe require device makers to equip their phones and tablets with this port beginning in 2024. The move is supposed to reduce e-waste and make it more convenient for users to use the same cable for all their devices.
So much for convenience, I think.
The switch from Lightning to USB-C has made CarPlay a bug party, turning what users knew as a super-simple experience into a struggle to get the in-car experience to run.
Users have been flooding Apple with bug reports over the broken CarPlay in their cars, with one such thread on the company's discussion board having hundreds of posts and just as many "me too" votes. All come from iPhone 15 buyers who want CarPlay in their cars but end up struggling due to the USB-C port.
Everything worked perfectly with the Lightning port on the iPhone 14, all these users say, and switching to USB-C seems to have broken CarPlay.
Users who posted on this thread, and I advise you to check it out because it perfectly highlights how confusing USB-C has made CarPlay for the majority of iPhone 15 buyers, believe the issue could reside in their devices, the software powering it, or even their cars.
But at the end of the day, the culprit is just one: the USB-C cable they use to connect the iPhone to the head unit.
Compared to Lightning, USB-C cables could easily mislead users into believing they're using a high-quality cord. In reality, the number of cheap, poor, and worth-nothing USB-C cables is overwhelming – you can find them for as much as $1 on the likes of eBay, AliExpress, and Wish. Sure enough, using a high-quality cable from a famous company like Anker should guarantee a more stable experience, but some say that not even Apple's adapter works.
If you, too, are struggling with CarPlay on your new iPhone 15, the first thing you should check is the cable. If possible, use the cable that comes in the box (if your car comes with a USB-C port for running CarPlay). If you must purchase a new cable, get one from a renowned maker, such as Anker – Apple already sells a USB-A to USB-C cable in the Apple Store, and it's likely the best choice for those struggling with CarPlay.
There's nothing wrong with your car or the iPhone. It all comes down to the cable, as using a cheap USB-C cord to run CarPlay is very likely to provide an unstable connection – if CarPlay even launches in the first place.
However, the saga shows that Apple unintentionally turned CarPlay into a confusing mess. The company never wanted to switch to USB-C but had no other option. New regulations in Europe require device makers to equip their phones and tablets with this port beginning in 2024. The move is supposed to reduce e-waste and make it more convenient for users to use the same cable for all their devices.
So much for convenience, I think.
Google News