Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Apple
Apple has just shipped a new software update for the iPhone, and BMW and Toyota owners should install it right here and now.
iOS 17.1.1, now available for the iPhone XS and newer, comes with a critical patch for a bug that broke down the NFC sensor when wirelessly charging the iPhone 15 in certain BMW and Toyota models.
The issue was discovered shortly after the iPhone 15 landed in the hands of the first customers. BMW owners who tried to charge their smartphones using the wireless charger in their cars (the factory-installed unit) ended up unable to use Apple Pay.
The wireless charger pushed the iPhone into a data recovery mode, with users having to restart the device manually to reboot into the operating system. Once iOS loaded, iPhone 15 owners could no longer use Apple Pay, as the NFC sensor was broken. Apple Pay displayed an error, telling users that the iPhone couldn't set up the feature despite users previously configuring their credit cards in the Wallet app.
Other NFC-related functionality, including digital car keys, was also unavailable.
iPhone 15 owners whose smartphones got bricked after using the wireless charger in their cars revealed that Apple Store staff replaced their units without asking further questions. An internal Apple memo acknowledged the problem, with the Cupertino-based tech giant instructing engineers to attempt software repairs before moving to hardware fixes. In some cases, the Apple Store engineers were still recommended to offer replacement smartphones in case of bricked NFC sensors.
It's unclear how the new software update resolves the issue, but iPhone 15 owners should install it as soon as possible. The Apple memo acknowledged that the issue happened in certain BMW and Toyota models.
Meanwhile, if you can't install the new operating system update, your best option is to use wired charging in your car. It's unclear why the wireless charger fries the NFC sensor, as the issue doesn't seem related to overheating, but wired charging seems safe for the time being.
iPhone 15's launch produced a flood of issues in the car, including in the CarPlay world. The transition from Lightning to USB-C made running CarPlay challenging for users, as they had to replace their original cables with cords featuring the new port.
Choosing the right USB-C cable to run CarPlay proved to be more difficult than it sounds, with many users complaining on social media and forums that their iPhone fails to launch CarPlay when connected to the head unit in their vehicles. Apple eventually started selling an Anker USB-A to USB-C cable specifically to address these problems, while users whose cars sport a USB-C port should stick with the cable in the iPhone 15 box (featuring USB-C on both ends).
The issue was discovered shortly after the iPhone 15 landed in the hands of the first customers. BMW owners who tried to charge their smartphones using the wireless charger in their cars (the factory-installed unit) ended up unable to use Apple Pay.
The wireless charger pushed the iPhone into a data recovery mode, with users having to restart the device manually to reboot into the operating system. Once iOS loaded, iPhone 15 owners could no longer use Apple Pay, as the NFC sensor was broken. Apple Pay displayed an error, telling users that the iPhone couldn't set up the feature despite users previously configuring their credit cards in the Wallet app.
Other NFC-related functionality, including digital car keys, was also unavailable.
iPhone 15 owners whose smartphones got bricked after using the wireless charger in their cars revealed that Apple Store staff replaced their units without asking further questions. An internal Apple memo acknowledged the problem, with the Cupertino-based tech giant instructing engineers to attempt software repairs before moving to hardware fixes. In some cases, the Apple Store engineers were still recommended to offer replacement smartphones in case of bricked NFC sensors.
It's unclear how the new software update resolves the issue, but iPhone 15 owners should install it as soon as possible. The Apple memo acknowledged that the issue happened in certain BMW and Toyota models.
Meanwhile, if you can't install the new operating system update, your best option is to use wired charging in your car. It's unclear why the wireless charger fries the NFC sensor, as the issue doesn't seem related to overheating, but wired charging seems safe for the time being.
iPhone 15's launch produced a flood of issues in the car, including in the CarPlay world. The transition from Lightning to USB-C made running CarPlay challenging for users, as they had to replace their original cables with cords featuring the new port.
Choosing the right USB-C cable to run CarPlay proved to be more difficult than it sounds, with many users complaining on social media and forums that their iPhone fails to launch CarPlay when connected to the head unit in their vehicles. Apple eventually started selling an Anker USB-A to USB-C cable specifically to address these problems, while users whose cars sport a USB-C port should stick with the cable in the iPhone 15 box (featuring USB-C on both ends).
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