This retractable cable could help ease the iPhone USB-C transition

Have you heard that the iPhone 15 now has USB-C? This is great and long overdue, but it does mean there will be a transition period where some of us will have to deal with both Lightning and USB-C iPhones in our lives, especially if we're someone who doesn't buy new. Are. iPhone immediately.

This is especially cumbersome if you share a vehicle and want to use CarPlay in it — you'll have to connect your new USB-C iPhone and maintain a Lightning connection for the other person using the car. Sure, you can do it with multiple cables, and turn it on every time you get in the car, but who needs that hassle? For the past few years, I've used this three-headed cable to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the same vehicle, depending on who's driving, no cable swap necessary Is. (It also comes with a micro USB port on one side, but I can't say I've ever used it.)

Apart from its multi-port capabilities, the other thing that makes this particular cable great is that it is retractable, so you don't have to deal with bending or organizing the cable when you get out of the car. - Simply pull both ends, and it zips back up. It's also nice to just extend it to the length you need rather than having a very long cable wrapped around your center console.

At around $12 for two cables, this is no easy feat. And since the retractable mechanism will eventually wear out, it comes with a ready-to-go backup. If you have a really new car that has USB-C ports for CarPlay, you'll need an adapter, as it uses USB-A to plug into the car. (Or look at this option, which has USB-C on the other end. I haven't tried it personally, so I can't say how well it works.) But most cars on the road today use it. Are. Are. I will be able to do it, its absolutely fine.