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Update Your iPhone Right Now for Emergency Security Fixes, CarPlay Improvements

Everybody is waiting for the new-generation CarPlay later this year, but in the meantime, Apple knows that shipping further refinements and bug fixes is at least as important as a completely new version.
iPhone owners should update their devices ASAP 9 photos
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
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The latest iPhone software update includes a little fix for CarPlay users as well, in addition to several new goodies and critical security fixes.

The update to iOS 16.5 brings new features, such as a Sports tab in Apple News, a Price collection of wallpapers, and several other bug fixes. One of them is directly aimed at CarPlay, as Apple has become aware that the Podcasts app sometimes fails to work properly.

Apple is fully committed to turning Podcasts into a successful service, and without a doubt, the experience behind the wheel plays a major role in this long-term strategy. This isn't necessarily a surprise, as many drivers would rather listen to a podcast rather than music, so the popularity of Apple's application in the car is on the rise.

The iPhone maker says iOS 16.5 crushes a bug that caused the Podcasts app to fail to load content on CarPlay. The bug appeared earlier this year, making it impossible for users to listen to their podcasts when the iPhone was connected to the head unit. The workaround was easy, though not very convenient. Disconnecting CarPlay and listening to the podcasts via Bluetooth still allowed drivers to play the audio through the car's speakers.

In addition to all these goodies, the new iOS version also includes several security vulnerabilities in the operating system. The most important are three different flaws that are already actively exploited, which means that criminals currently take advantage of them to attack iPhones. As such, updating smartphones to the latest iOS release is the easiest way to remain secure.

The next-generation CarPlay will most likely be announced in the fall when Apple takes the wraps off the 2023 iPhone lineup. Apple has already partnered with several big carmakers, including Ford, to bring the new CarPlay experience to their vehicles, but the full list of models supporting it will be announced in the fall.

Compared to the existing CarPlay version, the modern sibling would offer deeper integration into the vehicle, as well as support for all displays in the car. It will also be able to display information, including navigation guidance, right on the driver's screen (in the instrument cluster). With this update, widgets and other iOS capabilities will also make their way to CarPlay.

Unfortunately, the new CarPlay won't be available for cars where the current version is supported, as the upgrade would require new hardware. As such, only new-generation cars would run the overhauled CarPlay, so customers would have to purchase a new vehicle or stick with the current version.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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