Apple CarPlay Gets a Helpful Update in iOS 18.4

iOS 18.4 brings a subtle but helpful CarPlay enhancement: three rows of app icons on the home screen. This improvement, however, appears currently limited to vehicles with larger displays.

The iOS 18.4 beta, released February 21st, 2025, introduced this feature. Previously, CarPlay was restricted to two rows, necessitating more scrolling for users with numerous apps. Testing reveals this three-row layout is only active on cars with larger screens – a Toyota Tundra with a (likely) 14-inch screen showed the feature, while a Honda Civic (9-inch) and a Kia Sorento (10.25-inch) did not.

This update mirrors Google's Android Auto advancements, which adapt to various screen sizes. While Apple's exact screen-size criteria remain unclear, this is a step towards better screen utilization.

Recall Apple's 2022 announcement of a "next-generation CarPlay," promising a full dashboard integration. Despite this ongoing promise (still on Apple's website), this feature hasn't materialized in any vehicles. This three-row icon update, while beneficial, is a minor improvement compared to the promised overhaul. Apple's initial 2024 target for next-gen CarPlay has been quietly removed, according to MacRumors.

iOS 18.4 beta also includes an ‘Apple News Food’ subscription, a dedicated Vision Pro app, and other minor adjustments. As always, caution is advised when installing beta software on primary devices due to potential bugs and instability.

Related ##### 7 Things That Would Make Apple CarPlay Better

CarPlay has room for improvement.

Posts 8 The public release of iOS 18.4 is anticipated in the coming weeks. The iPhone 16e will ship with iOS 18.3, with a day-one update to iOS 18.3.1 addressing bug fixes.

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