This is why automakers are balking at implementing CarPlay 2.
Chance Miller from 9to5Mac:
Apple released iOS 18.4 for iPhone users on with Priority Notifications, new emoji, several changes to CarPlay, and more. According to a growing number of users, however, the iOS 18.4 update has rendered CarPlay unusable in their cars.
In a thread on Reddit and elsewhere, iPhone users say they are experiencing a wide range of bugs with CarPlay since updating to iOS 18.4 this week. Multiple users say “Now Playing” information from CarPlay no longer shows up on their car’s gear cluster display.
Perhaps more importantly, however, some users are experiencing major connectivity problems with CarPlay in iOS 18.4. One user says their iPhone is “connecting and disconnecting over and over again” when using wireless CarPlay. Another user also says that iOS 18.4 “broke” their wireless CarPlay and made the connection “unstable.” One Honda driver says it “takes plugging and unplugging 5+ times or restarting the car to get CarPlay to connect” since updating to iOS 18.4.
Imagine if your whole instrument panel and all screens were completely taken over by CarPlay, and these bugs render your displays unusable.
Talk about a real cluster.
Chance Miller from 9to5Mac:
Apple released iOS 18.4 for iPhone users on with Priority Notifications, new emoji, several changes to CarPlay, and more. According to a growing number of users, however, the iOS 18.4 update has rendered CarPlay unusable in their cars.
In a thread on Reddit and elsewhere, iPhone users say they are experiencing a wide range of bugs with CarPlay since updating to iOS 18.4 this week. Multiple users say “Now Playing” information from CarPlay no longer shows up on their car’s gear cluster display.
Perhaps more importantly, however, some users are experiencing major connectivity problems with CarPlay in iOS 18.4. One user says their iPhone is “connecting and disconnecting over and over again” when using wireless CarPlay. Another user also says that iOS 18.4 “broke” their wireless CarPlay and made the connection “unstable.” One Honda driver says it “takes plugging and unplugging 5+ times or restarting the car to get CarPlay to connect” since updating to iOS 18.4.
Imagine if your whole instrument panel and all screens were completely taken over by CarPlay, and these bugs render your displays unusable.
Talk about a real cluster.
Apple Watch Series 10 - Jet Black durability after 6 months of use.
I have had the Series 10 Jet Black since launch, and it has been holding up well, much better than the iPhone 7’s Jet Black. According to Apple’s own description, it has gone from a 9-step anodization process to a 30- step anodization process.
To sum it up quickly, if you’re worried it will accumulate micro abrasions and swirls like the iPhone 7 did even while babying the device, that will not happen. It will stay shiny and beautiful. If you abuse it or drop it on an hard surface, expect scratches and even the bare aluminum to shine through. With normal use and occasional bumps here and there, it will also be fine.
The main thing to watch for is imperfections out of the box, which happened to me twice before I got a perfect one without any defects. The imperfections are at the junction between where the display ends and the aluminum body meets. That flat surface of aluminum is not polished as much as the curved body is, making it likely to have bare aluminum shining through the swath of the dark creamy black.
Once you notice it, you can’t unsee it.
Apple’s customer service did take care of me, but they are more lenient and forgiving if you call them versus try to deal with them in store.
Their words, not mine.
You can ready the whole experience below, along with photos showing what happens to the Jet Black finish if dropped on a hard surface.
Jet Black Apple Watch durability 28 days later - part 1
Jet Black Apple Watch Genius Bar Appointment - part 2
Calling Apple to resolve my Jet Black Apple Watch defect - part 3
Jet Black Apple Watch Replacement was worse - part 4
Jet Black Apple Watch durability after hitting the floor…hard.
I have had the Series 10 Jet Black since launch, and it has been holding up well, much better than the iPhone 7’s Jet Black. According to Apple’s own description, it has gone from a 9-step anodization process to a 30- step anodization process.
To sum it up quickly, if you’re worried it will accumulate micro abrasions and swirls like the iPhone 7 did even while babying the device, that will not happen. It will stay shiny and beautiful. If you abuse it or drop it on an hard surface, expect scratches and even the bare aluminum to shine through. With normal use and occasional bumps here and there, it will also be fine.
The main thing to watch for is imperfections out of the box, which happened to me twice before I got a perfect one without any defects. The imperfections are at the junction between where the display ends and the aluminum body meets. That flat surface of aluminum is not polished as much as the curved body is, making it likely to have bare aluminum shining through the swath of the dark creamy black.
Once you notice it, you can’t unsee it.
Apple’s customer service did take care of me, but they are more lenient and forgiving if you call them versus try to deal with them in store.
Their words, not mine.
You can ready the whole experience below, along with photos showing what happens to the Jet Black finish if dropped on a hard surface.
Jet Black Apple Watch durability 28 days later - part 1
Jet Black Apple Watch Genius Bar Appointment - part 2
Calling Apple to resolve my Jet Black Apple Watch defect - part 3
Jet Black Apple Watch Replacement was worse - part 4
Jet Black Apple Watch durability after hitting the floor…hard.
The iPhone 16e is the perfect iPhone for iPhone XR and XS upgraders.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but it seems highly likely that the XR and XS will not be getting iOS 19. It makes sense since iOS is rumored to get an all-new design, and usually an all-new design means older phones have to be left behind.
This makes it a perfect time to upgrade since you can be more up to date both in terms of hardware and software. Odds are if someone is still using an iPhone XR or XS, a 7-year old device, they aren’t really living on the cutting edge.
That is why the iPhone 16e is the perfect upgrade.
The benefits of upgrading from the XS to the 16e are just gobsmackingly insane. Here are just some of the benefits:
USB-C vs lightning.
Solid 48MP camera that will take better photos and videos than both 12MP lenses on the iPhone XS.
A brighter 6.1 inch screen that is a nice balance between the 5.8 inch and 6.5 inch iPhone XS and XS Max.
Same screen size, but smaller form factor than the XR.
Action Button vs the mute switch.
Equivalent wireless charging.
More responsive Face ID that works in landscape.
Huge boost in performance and speed.
Major iOS updates for at least 5 years.
The only downside? You get Apple Intelligence.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but it seems highly likely that the XR and XS will not be getting iOS 19. It makes sense since iOS is rumored to get an all-new design, and usually an all-new design means older phones have to be left behind.
This makes it a perfect time to upgrade since you can be more up to date both in terms of hardware and software. Odds are if someone is still using an iPhone XR or XS, a 7-year old device, they aren’t really living on the cutting edge.
That is why the iPhone 16e is the perfect upgrade.
The benefits of upgrading from the XS to the 16e are just gobsmackingly insane. Here are just some of the benefits:
USB-C vs lightning.
Solid 48MP camera that will take better photos and videos than both 12MP lenses on the iPhone XS.
A brighter 6.1 inch screen that is a nice balance between the 5.8 inch and 6.5 inch iPhone XS and XS Max.
Same screen size, but smaller form factor than the XR.
Action Button vs the mute switch.
Equivalent wireless charging.
More responsive Face ID that works in landscape.
Huge boost in performance and speed.
Major iOS updates for at least 5 years.
The only downside? You get Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max will not get iOS 19.
Juli Clover from MacRumors:
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected to support iOS 19.
It will be the end of an era, as the XS and XS Max were the last iPhones to have 3D Touch support, a feature that was always hidden under the radar, but was a stealth pro feature for those who knew about it.
It was so stealth that the iPhone XR was the first iPhone to remove 3D Touch, but still became the best selling phone in 2019.
Juli Clover from MacRumors:
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected to support iOS 19.
It will be the end of an era, as the XS and XS Max were the last iPhones to have 3D Touch support, a feature that was always hidden under the radar, but was a stealth pro feature for those who knew about it.
It was so stealth that the iPhone XR was the first iPhone to remove 3D Touch, but still became the best selling phone in 2019.