CarPlay in iOS 18.4 arrives with disconnection issues for some

CarPlay in the newly updated iOS 18.4 is causing problems for an unknown number of users, who report it disconnecting and reconnecting.

AppleInsider readers have long reported that CarPlay has various disconnection problems before, but this new update appears to have brought a series of issues. The main problem appears to be specifically that wireless CarPlay will disconnect and reconnect, but some users are no longer seeing the “Now Playing” information on their car screen.

What information gets displayed on CarPlay — and even the layout of the controls — varies by car manufacturer, and the screen size of the display. But there’s no reason why controls and information shown in CarPlay before iOS 18.4 should now be different.

However, one improvement that iOS 18.4 brought to CarPlay was the presentation of more icons on the screen. A third row of app icons will now be shown, depending on the size of the display.

Then there is the issue of the disconnections from wireless CarPlay. Some users report that it happens randomly, that there will be a disconnection and then a reconnection with no apparent cause.

One Reddit user said CarPlay disconnected when he asked Siri to read a text.

Apart from it being specifically concerned with wireless CarPlay, and iOS 18.4, there is as yet no obvious patten to which cars are being affected. There is also currently no detail of how widespread the issues are, though as spotted by 9to5mac, there are now multiple reports across social media.

AppleInsider has not been able to reproduce the issues.

The issues come after iOS 18.4 also reportedly caused problems with unwanted apps being either restored or installed on iPhones.

Apple has yet to comment on either issue. If you are seeing either, we recommend contacting Apple support about the matter, so it can be logged and assessed by the company directly. The company does not pay attention to media reports, nor anecdotes on social media.