Did you hear that the iPhone 15 now has USB-C? It’s great and long overdue, but it’s a big no-no in our lives, especially if we live with people who don’t. This means there will be a transition period where you will have to deal with both Lightning and USB-C iPhones. There’s no need to buy a new iPhone right away.
This is especially annoying if you share a vehicle and want to use CarPlay with it. You’ll need a way to connect your new USB-C iPhone and maintain a Lightning connection for others using your vehicle. Of course, you could do this using multiple cables and switch them every time you get in the car, but who needs that hassle? For the past few years I’ve been using this his three-headed cable to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the same vehicle. No need to change cables depending on who is driving. (It also has a Micro USB port on one side, but I’ve never used it.)
Besides the multi-port feature, another great thing about this cable is the fact that it’s retractable, so you don’t have to roll or organize the cable when you get out of the car, just pull it out. . Close both ends and it will return to normal. It’s also convenient to be able to extend the cable as long as you need it, rather than having a cable that’s too long hanging over the center console.
Two cables cost about $12, so this is a no-brainer. Also, since the retraction mechanism will eventually wear out, it comes with a ready-to-use backup. If you have a really new car with a USB-C port for CarPlay, you’ll need: adapter, since this uses USB-A to connect to the car itself. (or check out This option, the other end has USB-C. I haven’t personally tried this so I can’t speak to how well it works. ) But most cars on the road today will be fine with this.