I love iOS 18’s iPhone Mirroring feature — but I’ve found one big problem Renato Bond | usagoldmines.com

iPhone Mirroring is among the greatest additions to iOS 18 and macOS 15 Sequoia, including a complete new stage of integration between your iPhone and your Mac. It is the function I’ve used probably the most of all the brand new additions (rather more so than Apple Intelligence), however I’ve come throughout a quirk of the mirroring system that makes it a lot much less helpful than I believed.

You see, you can’t concurrently use iPhone Mirroring and your iPhone’s web hotspot function. If you happen to attempt to allow hotspot whereas mirroring, or vice versa, you get a pop-up telling you that you just want each Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled with a purpose to use iPhone Mirroring. And that looks like an enormous limitation within the software program

(Picture credit score: Tom’s Information)

I bumped into a serious instance of this whereas on a latest practice journey. I used to be hotspotting with my iPhone 16 Pro Max in my pocket, and wished to test my notifications on my MacBook since that might imply far much less fuss than attempting to barter my laptop computer, the fold-down tray desk and my jacket and bag by my ft to drag my telephone out. I attempted and didn’t get iPhone Mirroring to work, so ultimately I needed to do the precise awkward shuffle of my belongings I had tried to keep away from, because it was both that or quit the hotspot connection whereas in the midst of work.

With the ability to squeeze your iPhone into your Mac would have been superb right here, in addition to different frequent conditions when working in public. I can think about lots of people would not need to lay their iPhone out on a espresso store desk in view of potential passing thieves, and iPhone Mirroring would let you proceed utilizing it whereas retaining it secreted away. Until you are keen to courageous the in-store Wi-Fi although, you will not be capable to try this.

This mirror wants a clean-up

It surprises me after I discover a roadblock like this in Apple’s Continuity options. Apple’s probably the greatest within the enterprise in the case of supplying you with causes to purchase extra of its merchandise to make use of collectively in candy concord. Particularly provided that the moveable MacBooks are way more prevalent than Apple’s desktop iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio or Mac Professional, so Apple ought to have anticipated lots of its clients would possibly need to hotspot and iPhone Mirror on the identical time.

Regardless of discovering this irritating flaw in iPhone Mirroring’s operation, I do know am going to proceed to make use of it. However I’m additionally going to be crossing my fingers that that is one thing Apple can change in a future replace, perhaps even an intermediate one previous to iOS 19/macOS 16.

Proper now, selecting between iPhone Mirroring and Wi-Fi hotspotting is an annoying smudge on what would in any other case be a shining instance of why one of many best phones and one of many best laptops work even higher collectively. And one which Apple in all probability should not have let occur within the first place.

Extra from Tom’s Information