Why is ‘X’ increasing in iPhone(X) on my screen?

[Chuck]

Over time I’ve noticed that my screen (see photo) has gone from showing iPhone on the upper left to iPhone(2), then iPhone(3) and now iPhone(4). Any idea what that means and if it’s important? CarPlay seems to work well as does PAAK (mostly).

Holy Crap, those icons are humungous! Is that normal?

Compare that to Android Auto...

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[RMoore]

I've seen this issue when others connect their iPhone's to my car and their phone is named "iPhone". As mentioned earlier by another member, when several phones of the same name are connected to Sync, it is giving it a different name to differentiate it possibly? However, if your phone has a unique name that no other phone has, it shouldn't change the name by adding a number to it. My phone is called Mark's iPhone 13 Pro and unlike other phones just named "iPhone" that have been connected to my Sync, that custom name does not change.

Change the name of your phone to something unique and see if you have any more issues.

I was about to write that my iPhone has a unique name including my initials so that couldn't be the explanation, but of course one should never take a @markboris comment lightly! I just looked at my phone's name in Settings > General and sure enough it says iPhone (4)! I will change and see what it shows in my MME IPC and report back later. That said, if that's it, it suggests that my phone's name has been changing over time which is odd I would think.

 

[markboris]

I was about to write that my iPhone has a unique name including my initials so that couldn't be the explanation, but of course one should never take a @markboris comment lightly! I just looked at my phone's name in Settings > General and sure enough it says iPhone (4)! I will change and see what it shows in my MME IPC and report back later. That said, if that's it, it suggests that my phone's name has been changing over time which is odd I would think.

So maybe some other device, not Sync, is changing your phone's name (adding numbers) and then of course Sync just displays the name your phone has. What else do you plug your phone into that might be doing this? Computer? I never plug my phone into either of my computers. It is only ever plugged into my cars for rental cars. On the Mach-E I only connect wirelessly. We have to find some type of pattern here.

 

[RMoore]

So maybe some other device, not Sync, is changing your phone's name (adding numbers) and then of course Sync just displays the name your phone has. What else do you plug your phone into that might be doing this? Computer? I never plug my phone into either of my computers. It is only ever plugged into my cars for rental cars. On the Mach-E I only connect wirelessly. We have to find some type of pattern here.

I connect my phone to my home's network and various devices and 3 weeks ago connected to a rental car's CarPlay. Will see how my name change experiment goes later, but if it reflects what's on the phone, then this is an Apple iOS thing and not an MME thing it would seem.

 

[AZBill]

So maybe some other device, not Sync, is changing your phone's name (adding numbers) and then of course Sync just displays the name your phone has.

This is the case, it is the phone itself that adds the number. My other car is not a Ford, and was was showing the same new name also.

 

[Mach1E]

This is the case, it is the phone itself that adds the number. My other car is not a Ford, and was was showing the same new name also.

Yes, it shows as changed in your phone.

But it’s the act of connecting to Bluetooth on a new device that causes the change.

See my earlier post about renting an ATV a few weeks ago. I went from iPhone(4) to iPhone(28) as displayed on my phone.

 

[RMoore]

Yes, it shows as changed in your phone.

But it’s the act of connecting to Bluetooth on a new device that causes the change.

See my earlier post about renting an ATV a few weeks ago. I went from iPhone(4) to iPhone(28) as displayed on my phone.

Yes saw that. Seems odd that connecting to Bluetooth devices would change the name of our phones. Need to search the web for this.

 

[Mach1E]

Yes saw that. Seems odd that connecting to Bluetooth devices would change the name of our phones. Need to search the web for this.

Probably has to do with how they sync.

For one, how can you know which device to connect to if they both have the same name?

And if you never named your phone, I guess Apple assumes you don’t care if it’s iphone4 or iPhone28.

Not sure if the “why” matters. But at least we figured it out, and how to fix it.

I renamed my phone today and it showed up fine in my car as the new name.

 

[RMoore]

Probably has to do with how they sync.

For one, how can you know which device to connect to if they both have the same name?

And if you never named your phone, I guess Apple assumes you don’t care if it’s iphone4 or iPhone28.

Not sure if the “why” matters. But at least we figured it out, and how to fix it.

I renamed my phone today and it showed up fine in my car as the new name.

Exactly. Even though I thought I changed the name of my phone I guess I didn’t, and it kept changing to avoid duplication. I changed it to a more unique name and confirmed that it now shows that on the upper left of the MME screen as did yours. Problem solved! Minor issue but nice to have folks weigh in and help as they do with so many of these, both big and small.

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