iOS 18.4 Includes a Small But Useful Change for CarPlay

The first beta of iOS 18.4 is now available, and it includes a small but useful change for CarPlay.

ios 18 4 carplay
As we noted in our list of iOS 18.4 features, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra, which can be equipped with up to a 14-inch screen.

In our testing, CarPlay still showed two rows of four icons in a Honda Civic with a 9-inch screen.

While this is only a minor change, CarPlay showing more icons when possible is a nice quality-of-life improvement for Apple's phone mirroring system, allowing drivers to quickly access more apps with less swiping between pages.

Following beta testing, iOS 18.4 is expected to be released to the public in early April.

Related Roundups: CarPlay, iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

When Is iPhone 17 Coming Out?

Thursday July 24, 2025 9:11 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 series is expected to debut in September 2025. This release follows Apple's recent trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. To unveil the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple is expected to hold its annual iPhone announcement event during the week of September 8, 2025, with September 9 or 10 emerging as the most likely...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Two Months With These 16 New Features

Saturday July 26, 2025 5:50 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max should launch in late September, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models, as of July 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.6

Tuesday July 29, 2025 10:13 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.6, the sixth update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.6 comes more than two months after Apple released watchOS 11.5. The update is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.6 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Centered 1

Tipster: iPhone 17 Pro to Feature 8x Zoom, Pro Camera App, and More

Sunday July 27, 2025 7:35 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models will have several new camera-related features, according to an anonymous tipster who contacted MacRumors today. The tipster claimed to be familiar with an iPhone 17 Pro commercial that is allegedly being produced by a film company that has publicly listed Apple as one of its clients. MacRumors has not independently confirmed any of the information shared ...
iphone 16 pro models 1

iPhone 17 Pro Max Rumored to Have 3 Advantages Over iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 31, 2025 3:00 am PDT by
Apple's highest-end iPhone 17 Pro Max model may have three key advantages over the smaller iPhone 17 Pro model, according to rumors. Specifically, the iPhone 17 Pro Max is expected to have…A larger 6.9-inch display (vs. 6.3-inch display on the iPhone 17 Pro) Even longer battery life (an approximately 5% thicker design may allow for a 5,000 mAh or higher battery capacity) A smaller Dynamic...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.6

Tuesday July 29, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.6, the sixth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched last September. macOS Sequoia 15.6 comes a over two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.5. Mac users can download the ‌‌‌macOS Sequoia 15.6 update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. ...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.6 With Photos Bug Fix

Tuesday July 29, 2025 10:17 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6, the sixth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems. iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 come more than two months after the release of iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iOS 18.6 addresses a Photos-related bug that could...
apple billboard

Oops: Apple's Latest Billboard Features Phallic Design

Wednesday July 30, 2025 1:45 pm PDT by
Apple has a new 'Shot on iPhone' billboard design that combines iPhone photography with iPad sketches, but as one Reddit user noticed, the result is decidedly phallic. The billboard was shared on the Miami subreddit earlier this month, and highlighted by the Miami New Times earlier today. The design features a photo of a shark along with a cartoon scuba diver that has an oversized finger...

Top Rated Comments

WarmWinterHat Avatar
23 weeks ago
That's cool, but I can't find enough useful CarPlay apps to fill up one screen.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
23 weeks ago

So much wasted space on the current carplay layout with the large icons and huge gaps between the icons...
It's spaced out for a reason. You're reaching out a fair distance with one hand in a vehicle that may or may not be bouncing around, and often only looking at it for a second or two. All that points to a design with less information density and more visual and physical separation between UI elements.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tomdar2 Avatar
23 weeks ago
Find My should be on Car Play. How it isn’t is baffling.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kobayagi Avatar
23 weeks ago
Why is this not something that is customizable by the user?

All these cars have different screen sizes and orientations. Why not let users add more columns and/or rows and change their size too? So if you just want a few big ones that are easier to press or more if that's your thing...

It's crazy how little customization Apple allows on things that could actually make it more user friendly and more importantly: safe, since you're using the screen while driving.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
imac9556 Avatar
23 weeks ago

What do the arrows in the upper left corner do?
In my Lexus/Toyota it makes the screen smaller by a little so the car toolbar will always be visible even if CarPlay is up. (see example)

Attachment Image
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
23 weeks ago
That’s awesome

My dad has CarPlay in his Lexus and I use CarPlay when we go on long drives so I’m glad that Apple has made it better by offering an extra row of application icons on the display

I hope that more cars implement wireless CarPlay in the future as my dad’s car does not have wireless CarPlay so I have to use an adapter to get it to be wireless - it would be nice if Apple made their own adapter to allow people to use wireless CarPlay (if it’s not already built into their cars)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)