Reference / reviewed
AI Box Firmware Tracker: Build Dates, Fixes and Regressions
Firmware builds for Carlinkit TBox, Ottocast Picasou, MGears Mstick4 and UX999 Rocket by date, with the fixes and regressions owners reported.
This page lists firmware builds owners discuss, the date each one carries, and what changed: fixes the manufacturer announced, and fixes or regressions owners reported after installing it. Use it to decide whether a new build is worth installing, or whether going back to an older one could fix a problem that started after an update.
How to read the tables. Dates are build dates as shown in Settings → About and in the file name, written “26 Dec 2025”. “Announced” means the change was in the manufacturer’s release notes; “Owners” means owners reported it after installing the build. A blank fixes column means no release notes were published and no owner reported a change. Builds without notable reports are left out, so the list is not complete. Install any build with the FOTA local update guide, and set the stock launcher as default first.
TBox Ultra 1, 2 and 4: which build fixes what?
Carlinkit’s Ultra 1 and Ultra 2 builds were published as one line until December 2025, then as one line for the Ultra 1, 2 and 4. Android 15 throughout. Official source: Carlinkit’s download page or Carlinkit support.
| Build | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|
| 22 Sep 2025 | First Ultra build in the community archive; recovery files for QFIL were released alongside it. |
| 21 Oct 2025 | Owners: used as the recovery image for QFIL recovery; one owner saw the exclamation mark on the network icon after flashing it. |
| Late Nov 2025 | Owners: engineering code 9999 no longer opens developer options. |
| 11 Dec 2025 | Fixes the exclamation mark and “no internet” on the network icon, per the community FAQ. See exclamation mark on the Wi-Fi icon. |
| 26 Dec 2025 | Fixes third-party launchers always starting after the stock one; set your launcher as default the normal way, and set Settings → Other → App loading back to None if you used it. |
| 4 Jan 2026 | Owners: one Ultra 1 owner saw the exclamation mark come back after installing it. |
| 21 Aug 2026 | Owners: an Ultra 2 owner whose car had only ever accepted the box in CarPlay mode got Android Auto working on this August build: the head unit finally showed the connection prompt. See switch between CarPlay and Android Auto. |
| 28 Aug 2026 | Owners: one Ultra 1 owner on this build reported sound turning into a buzz after a few songs in CarPlay and periodic crackle in Android Auto. |
A July 2026 build installed on an Ultra 2 added Settings → Sound settings with noise suppression (0–8) and audio/video sync (0–20), according to one owner. A third-party “CarCar Edition” build of 10 May 2026 for the Ultra 1, 2 and 4 is not from Carlinkit; its authors list GPS tuning, the exclamation-mark fix, multitouch in Android Auto and removed preinstalled apps. See third-party firmware.
TBox Ultra 3: which build fixes what?
The Ultra 3 has its own firmware line. Android 15. Official source: Carlinkit’s download page or Carlinkit support.
| Build | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|
| 20 Mar 2026 | First Ultra 3 build in the community archive. |
| September 2026 (latest builds) | Open: an Ultra 3 owner on the latest build could not hear the caller on incoming calls, while outgoing calls worked. The workaround owners use is in can’t hear the caller. |
| August 2026 | Open: on BMW iDrive 6, navigation prompts turn to crackle while the box plays music. No fix reported yet. |
| 14 Sep 2026 | Latest Ultra 3 build in the archive at the time of review; no owner reports yet. |
Some owners install Ultra 3 or Ultra 4 builds on an Ultra 1 or 2 to get fixes early. That is outside what Carlinkit supports; if you try it, keep the file for your own model so you can go back.
TBox Ambient (SM6225): which build fixes what?
Android 13. From January 2026 the builds are published as “TBox Ambient & S2F (QCM6225)”. Official source: Carlinkit’s download page or Carlinkit support.
| Build | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|
| 21 Nov 2023 | Announced: fixes a conflict between third-party launchers and the recent-apps screen; adds a “split app” section in Settings. |
| 4 Dec 2023 | Announced: fixes boxes hanging and resetting when updated with a third-party launcher set as default. Still set the stock launcher first. |
| 12 Dec 2023 | Announced: sound quality improved. Owners: the light-strip switch stopped working. |
| 15 Dec 2023 | Announced: sound improved again; light-strip switch fixed. |
| 23 Apr 2024 | Regression: broke Android Auto. Marked “not recommended” by the community. |
| 25 Apr 2024 | Owners: fixes the Android Auto problem from 23 Apr 2024; fixes a black screen leaving the surround-view camera on an Omoda C5 in Android Auto. |
| 27 May 2024 | Announced (Ambient and UHD SM6225): fixes no 4G when the car connects slowly, fixes no sound on 4G calls, new settings interface. |
| 11 Nov 2025 | Owners: last build on which the SIM card is detected on every boot. |
| 2026 builds (21 Jan 2026 to 3 Sep 2026) | Regression: the SIM card is detected only on the first boot after installing; later boots report no SIM. Rolling back to a 2025 build fixed it at once. See TBox Ambient SIM lost after 2026 firmware. |
TBox UHD and the SDM660 Ambient: which build fixes what?
Android 13. The UHD is published on its own line for the SM6225 and together with the Ambient for the SDM660. Official source: Carlinkit’s download page or Carlinkit support.
| Device and build | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|
| UHD (SM6225), 27 May 2024 | Same release notes as the Ambient build of that date: 4G after slow car start-up, sound on 4G calls, new settings interface. |
| UHD (SM6225), 25 Jul 2024 | Recovery files for the UHD were published with this build. |
| UHD (SM6225), 31 Jul 2026 | Latest UHD build in the archive; no owner reports yet. |
| Ambient (SDM660), 2 Feb 2024 | Warning from the community: the file carries no marker for the light-strip version, and installing it on an SDM660 Ambient almost always switched the light strip off. |
| Ambient and UHD (SDM660), 10 Aug 2026 | Latest SDM660 build in the archive; no owner reports yet. |
TBox Plus EAU (138) and EM (668): which build fixes what?
The two variants have separate builds that cannot be mixed. Official source: via Carlinkit support; Carlinkit’s own page lists the split-screen presets build.
| Variant and build | Android | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|---|
| EAU, 30 Jun 2023 | 12 | Final Android 12 build. The community FAQ advised installing it before moving to Android 13. |
| EAU, 29 Jul 2023 | 13 | First Android 13 build for the EAU. Some owners went straight from Android 11; not recommended. |
| EAU, 10 Oct 2023 | 13 | Announced: split ratios 3:7 and 2:3 added to the 1:1 default in factory settings (code 121212, see engineering codes). |
| EAU, 19 Oct 2023 | 13 | Official Carlinkit release: split-screen presets, third-party launcher support (Nova named), Wi-Fi and hotspot at the same time. |
| EAU, 21 Nov 2023 | 13 | Announced: fixes the conflict between third-party launchers and the recent-apps screen. |
| EAU, 4 Jul 2026 | 13 | Latest EAU build in the archive. Owners on older Android 13 builds whose default launcher kept losing to the stock one were told to update to the latest build. |
| EM, 29 Jun 2023 | 13 | First Android 13 build for the EM. |
| EM, 4 Jul 2024 | 13 | Announced: fixes mobile internet not working with some SIM cards. See AI box SIM card not working. |
| EM, 23 Jul 2026 | 13 | Latest EM build in the archive. |
A TBox Ambient on the QCM6125 chip can run the TBox Plus EAU Android 13 builds, but the light strip may stop working.
Older Carlinkit boxes: TBox V3 and TBox Mini
| Device and build | Android | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|---|
| TBox (V3, CPC-200, S450), 8 Jul 2024 | 9 | Latest V3 build, from Carlinkit’s site. If the update stops with “Upgrade packages from illegal manufacturers”, install Carlinkit’s OTA app first, then update again. Not for the Mini or Plus. |
| TBox Mini, 31 Aug 2023 | 11 | Latest Mini build in the archive. |
Ottocast Picasou 3, 3 Lite, 3 Pro and Nano
Official source: Ottocast’s software upgrade portal, linked from its contact page. Picasou 3 units ship with one of two storage types, and owners found that recovery files for one do not fit the other.
| Device and build | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|
| Picasou 3, 10 Nov 2023 | Announced: microSD cards formatted exFAT or FAT32 both supported. |
| Picasou 3, 2 Feb 2024 | Announced: fixes screen freezes, crackling and clicking sound, and the Wi-Fi hotspot not opening. |
| Picasou 3, 2 Mar 2024 | Announced: option to use the car’s GPS, display offset in engineering mode, “noisy sound” fix. |
| Picasou 3, 25 Apr 2024 | Announced: Mazda Android Auto connection, box restarting when an Audi head unit’s OK button is pressed, noise and no-sound fixes. |
| Picasou 3 and 3 Lite, 15 Oct 2024 | Announced: fixes the Android Auto certificate expiry problem. |
| Picasou 3 and 3 Lite, 7 Apr 2025 | Announced: button to switch between Android Auto and CarPlay; answer or end Bluetooth calls from the steering wheel; no longer jumps back to the box’s screen when reversing. |
| Picasou 3 and 3 Lite, 18 Jul 2026 | Announced: fixes Android Auto SSL certificate expiry, Toyota RAV4 connection problems, stock launcher flicker, missing weather widget. |
| Picasou 3 Pro, 15 Jun 2026 | Announced: processor and hardware information in Settings; widgets can be added with Smart Launcher. |
| Picasou 3 Pro, 27 Jun 2026 | Announced: fixes music sound dropping out intermittently and pictures not going full screen on some Toyota head units. |
| OttoAibox Nano, 26 Dec 2025 | Latest Nano build in the archive. |
On the Picasou 3 Pro, owners reported the CPU monitor and heat as the main concern rather than a firmware fault; see Picasou 3 Pro CPU monitor and cooling.
MGears Mstick4
MGears delivers most updates over the air and offers the Mstick4 Recovery Tool (Windows) on its update page for manual updates and recovery. The Mstick4 works only in cars with Android Auto.
| Version | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|
| 1.8.2 | Announced: Cluster Display app, Mstick Clock app, split-screen ratios tuned for wide screens. |
| 1.8.3 | Owners: the build VW MIB 2.5 owners installed through the recovery tool before official MIB 2.5 support arrived. |
| 1.9.4 | Announced: VW MIB 2.5 head units supported, hotspot can start at boot, option to hide the status bar, Bluetooth headset audio, fix for intermittent screen freezes on some cars. Owners (1.9.3 and 1.9.4, rooted sticks): occasional “connection interrupted” with some head units; see Mstick4 connection interrupted. |
MGears’ own release notes for every version are on the Mstick4 release notes page.
ApplePie UX999 Rocket
Official source: via the seller or ApplePie support (ApplePie’s site is not on our list of verified manufacturer domains yet).
| Device and build | Android | Notable fixes and regressions |
|---|---|---|
| Rocket and CP-908 (QCM6490), 19 Mar 2026 | 13 | Announced: wired Android Auto support. |
| Rocket (QCM4490), 14 Aug 2025 | 14 | Latest QCM4490 build in the archive. |
ApplePie moved some other UX999 models (Plus 2.0, Ultra 3.0) to Android 16 in 2026. The Android 16 update resets the box to factory settings and installs more slowly than usual. See the UX999 Rocket hub.
Problems that are not tied to a build
Some waves of reports look like firmware but are not. In September 2026, YouTube on Carlinkit Plus, Ambient and Ultra boxes stopped with “Playback error” after about 15 seconds of any video, across many builds; a factory reset fixed it for owners, while installing a different firmware build did not. See YouTube playback error.
Found a build that fixed or broke something? Tell us with the details in how to report a bug.