The upcoming iOS 18.4 replace for the iPhone features a smaller however significant enchancment for Apple’s in-car iPhone mirroring system CarPlay.
Particularly, CarPlay now exhibits a 3rd row of icons, up from two rows beforehand. Nevertheless, this transformation is barely seen in autos with a bigger middle show. For instance, a MacRumors Boards member seen the change in a Toyota Tundra with a 14-inch display.
In our testing, CarPlay nonetheless confirmed two rows of 4 icons in a Honda Civic with a 9-inch display.
Whereas that is solely a minor change, CarPlay displaying extra icons when potential is a pleasant quality-of-life enchancment, permitting drivers to shortly entry extra apps with much less swiping between pages and hold their eyes on the street.
iOS 18.4 is presently in beta testing. The software program replace will likely be launched to most of the people in early April, in accordance with Apple’s web site.
As well as, the Apple Maps electrical car routing characteristic on CarPlay gained help for the North American Charging System (NACS) charging connector commonplace this week. Ford not too long ago started promoting an adapter that permits its Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning autos to be charged by a Tesla Supercharger, and now the Apple Maps electrical car routing characteristic can plan routes that embrace stops at Tesla Superchargers.
Ford says this functionality is accessible now on CarPlay with an iPhone working iOS 17 or later, so no new software program replace is required.
Listed here are Ford’s directions on the right way to use the characteristic:
– Join your Apple iPhone to CarPlay.
– Open Apple Maps, go to Settings and ensure your most popular charging community(s) – be sure to choose a NACS quick charging station, reminiscent of Tesla Supercharger. You solely have to do that as soon as.
– Enter a vacation spot.
– Apple Maps will then calculate the estimated state of cost you should have while you get to a vacation spot.
– If a cost is required, relying on the quickest route, it should mechanically route you to a NACS quick charging station.** When a route is began that features Tesla Superchargers, drivers might even see a warning that the route requires a Quick Charging Adapter (NACS) – drivers ought to be sure that to have it with them to make use of. Battery preconditioning when enroute to a charger shouldn’t be obtainable for Apple Maps EV Routing.
Wanting additional forward into the longer term, Apple confirmed that it continues to work with a number of auto makers on next-generation CarPlay. Nevertheless, Apple is now not offering a timeframe for next-generation CarPlay’s launch.
