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CarPlay Not Working for Some iPhone 15 Users, Possibly Because of USB-C Cables
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It is not like the EU came up with the USB-C format during their forest picnic last week-end, it was there for years and Apple were already planning to switch over about a year ago. So this time it is Apple who need to own it.
Why? Apple or any manufacturer for that matter can make a fully compliant implementation that doesn’t work with all cables with a USB-C connector. The spec allows a wide array of implementations, including proprietary ones. Just because some cables don’t work doesn’t make the device, and not the cable, at fault.
It’s up to the user to get the right cable. Unfortunately, people think because USB-C is a spec they assume it ensures compatibility. The EU didn’t help with their one connector/fewer cables rhetoric which lead people to think everything will just work.
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I drive a 2013 Nissan, so no Carplay, but it supports audio playback and steering wheel control over USB-A. For the entire lifetime of this car I've had various iPhones connected via a USB-A to Lightning cable, most recently a 14 Pro with iOS 17.0.2, all without any problems. Connecting my new 15 Pro with a USB A-to-C cable does nothing; neither the phone nor the car act as if anything was plugged in, it doesn't even charge. I've tried various cables, including from Anker and Insignia, as well as the Belkin mentioned in the article, and nothing (the cables work fine connecting the phone to a PC). I even tried the A-to-Lightning cable I had been using with prior iPhones along with the Apple Lightning-to-C dongle. Interesting result here was that the phone did charge with the dongle, but still no audio.
Now it is an older car, and I have no illusions of infinite support, but it is disappointing that something that was working fine last generation is now gone. Hopefully Apple finds something that is fixable through software.
Now it is an older car, and I have no illusions of infinite support, but it is disappointing that something that was working fine last generation is now gone. Hopefully Apple finds something that is fixable through software.
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A lot of manufacturers have been VERY slow to adopt wireless CarPlay because it requires a specific wifi chip. It could be chip-shortage related.
Could be that that's an actual data cable, not just a charging cable, and a lot of people's are just charge. Lighting cables almost all had data capability if they had all the pins.
Don't. They tend to be garbage, and very slow to connect and iffy once connected.
Apple did say 11 years ago that Lightning would last them for 10 years on the iPhone and Apple was amongst the first tech firms to use USB-C with the MacBook.
Agree. Every time I bring my car into the dealer for maintenance and ask if there is a software update available for my in dash system they give me a puzzling look then tell me no.
I had ordered a pack of 3 USB-A to USB-C adapters from Amazon before I received the new iPhone.
When I tried to connect the phone with the adapter and the USB-C cable from my iPad in the car it worked at first, but then would only connect to charge the phone.
I am now using the Anker USB-A to USB-C cable and this seems to be working perfectly. My car is a UK spec Ford Fiesta.
When I tried to connect the phone with the adapter and the USB-C cable from my iPad in the car it worked at first, but then would only connect to charge the phone.
I am now using the Anker USB-A to USB-C cable and this seems to be working perfectly. My car is a UK spec Ford Fiesta.
Nah. CarPlay works fine with my 2017 Kia, iPhone 15 and a USB C cable from 7-11.
Carplay doesn't work for me on all 3 of our vehicles with two separate iPhone 15 Pros. 2018 Honda, 2020 VW, and 2018 Ford. All with USB-A ports.
It seems to me that is an incompatible power draw issue with USB-C, the iPhone 15 Pro, and the USB power circuits in many cars. The Honda even shows a warning on the Dash that there was a USB Charging issue, an then it disables the USB port that had been working for few seconds.
Many car USB ports struggle to provide the power of even the basic USB-2.0 A connectors at 0.5Amps. My guess is the phone isn't playing nice with those, and detecting that it needs to go into an ultra low power charge mode.
This is a pretty big miss by Apple to not do more backwards compatibility testing for a critical interface that is used daily by most of their users. Maybe they assume everyone is driving a brand new car with Wireless Carplay?
It seems to me that is an incompatible power draw issue with USB-C, the iPhone 15 Pro, and the USB power circuits in many cars. The Honda even shows a warning on the Dash that there was a USB Charging issue, an then it disables the USB port that had been working for few seconds.
Many car USB ports struggle to provide the power of even the basic USB-2.0 A connectors at 0.5Amps. My guess is the phone isn't playing nice with those, and detecting that it needs to go into an ultra low power charge mode.
This is a pretty big miss by Apple to not do more backwards compatibility testing for a critical interface that is used daily by most of their users. Maybe they assume everyone is driving a brand new car with Wireless Carplay?
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My car is from 2022 and it doesn’t have a USB type C port either lol
It’s almost like type C adoption has been slow and a lot of people don’t even know what a type C even is
Hey here’s an idea, maybe the EU can mandate type C plugs on all cars? 🤷♂️
If I had to guess the issue only exists if all of the following is true:
- iPhone Pro or Pro Max
- Car with only USB-A wired CarPlay support.
If you don't have the above configuration I doubt you are dealing with the issue.
- iPhone Pro or Pro Max
- Car with only USB-A wired CarPlay support.
If you don't have the above configuration I doubt you are dealing with the issue.
Ford Sync system can be updated pretty easily using CyanLabs. It is weird the manufacturers built in the ability to update the systems, but the decided not to support it. Luckily with Ford people have worked around it.
I'm very surprised that some people here don't know that most cheap-junk USB-C cables don't support data at all. Cables and adapters sold "for charging" just don't have the right wiring for data. It's that simple.
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The issue happens with the cables that Apple provided in the box with the phone. This has nothing to do with cheep cables.
Do you have the 15, or 15 Pro? The Pro has a different USB-C configuration
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apple’s lightning to usb-c adapter worked with my existing usb-a to lightning cable on an 2018 audi. i guess it’ll be years before people can ditch their existing usb-a cables in multiple places like planes, cars, cruise ships and so on