This retractable cable can help make the iPhone USB-C transition easier


Did you hear the iPhone 15 has USB-C now? That’s a great thing and long overdue, but it does mean that there will be a period of transition where some of us end up having to deal with both Lightning and USB-C iPhones in our lives, particularly if we live with someone who isn’t buying the new iPhone right away.
This is particularly cumbersome if you share a vehicle and want to use CarPlay in it — you’ll need a way to hook up your new USB-C iPhone and maintain a Lightning connection for the other person using the car. You could do this with multiple cables, of course, and switch it every time you get in the car, but who needs that hassle? For the past couple of years, I’ve used this three-headed cable to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the same vehicle, depending on who is driving, no cable swap necessary. (It also comes with a Micro USB port on one side, but I can’t say I’ve ever used it.)
Aside from its multi-port capabilities, the other thing that makes this particular cable great is the fact that it’s retractable, so you don’t have to deal with coiling up or otherwise organizing the cable when you get out of the car — just pull on both ends, and it zips back up. It’s also nice to extend it to only the length you need instead of having a too-long cable draped across your center console.
At roughly $12 for two cables, this is a no-brainer. And since the retractable mechanism will wear out eventually, it comes with a backup ready to go. If you have a really new car that has USB-C ports for CarPlay, you’ll need an adapter, as this uses USB-A to plug into the car itself. (Or check out this option, which has USB-C on the other end. I have not personally tried this one, so I can’t speak to how well it works.) But most cars on the road today will be able to use this just fine.
Did you hear the iPhone 15 has USB-C now? That’s a great thing and long overdue, but it does mean that there will be a period of transition where some of us end up having to deal with both Lightning and USB-C iPhones in our lives, particularly if we live…
Recent Posts
- Netflix drops an uneasy new teaser for You season 5, and I can’t help but laugh as killer Casanova Joe calls himself ‘the luckiest guy in New York’
- Popular Android financial help app is actually dangerous malware
- Our Favorite Internal SSD Is on Sale Right Now
- Tesla reportedly launches FSD in China — or has it?
- Clicks is finally releasing its keyboard add-on for some Android phones
Archives
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- September 2018
- October 2017
- December 2011
- August 2010