Initially known as “iOS within the Automotive,” Apple’s CarPlay has come a good distance within the final decade. It now helps iPhone connections for greater than 800 completely different fashions of vehicles and bikes. It is also about to undergo an enormous redesign with a bevy of recent options.
Apple is updating the CarPlay expertise with the newly revealed iOS 26. Apple introduced the adjustments throughout its annual WWDC event in Cupertino, California, on June 9.
Apple’s iPhone-compatible car working system is used greater than 600 million instances per day, in response to the tech large. Your complete CarPlay system is getting a refresh, together with icons in mild and darkish modes, widgets to present you “fast and glanceable methods to get data” whilst you’re on the transfer and reside actions like flight statuses.
“We have additionally added new options to assist preserve you linked whereas driving, like a compact design whenever you get a name, so you possibly can nonetheless see what’s on the display screen, like your upcoming instructions, together with faucet backs and pinned conversations in messages,” Apple’s Emily Schubert mentioned throughout the WWDC keynote.
There are additionally now automobile controls in Apple CarPlay, together with radio and local weather controls.
You should utilize Apple CarPlay to regulate the local weather in your automobile.
Footage from Apple throughout the keynote additionally confirmed you possibly can ship emoji reactions to messages whereas on the go, with out navigating away out of your driving instructions. It’s also possible to see issues like calendar reminders and sensible house controls in widgets on the aspect of the show.
Apple launched CarPlay Ultra final month, bringing extra personalized options for automakers to incorporate.
“It gives data for all the driver’s screens, together with real-time content material and gauges within the instrument cluster, whereas reflecting the automaker’s feel and look and providing drivers a customizable expertise,” Apple mentioned in a weblog publish in Could.
All the brand new CarPlay options coming in iOS 26
Here is a roundup of the key new options that will probably be added to CarPlay with the launch of iOS 26.
Liquid Glass design
Identical to an iPhone with iOS 26, CarPlay will get the identical translucent design overhaul Apple is looking Liquid Glass, with buttons that add a really feel of depth. CarPlay icons might not have the identical shifting impact as in your iPhone, however they’re going to have the identical shiny, glass-like look.
Compact view
Some of the welcome new options of CarPlay with iOS 26 is a brand new view that does not interrupt your navigation when cellphone calls arrive. As an alternative of taking on the entire display screen, incoming calls will now seem in a smaller home windows on the backside, so you’ll see turn-by-turn instructions.
Throughout navigation, cellphone calls will now pop-up in a a lot smaller window on the backside of the show.
New options in Messages
Messages on CarPlay with iOS 26 will add the power to reply with tapbacks like thumbs up, thumbs down, a coronary heart or exclamation marks. It would additionally allow you to pin messages to the highest of the interface.
New incidents to report in Maps
Maps will quickly add three new incident varieties to report in CarPlay. Together with the present accidents, velocity checks and hazards, the iOS 26 replace can even embrace roadwork, highway closures and visitors.
Video streaming whereas parked
The brand new CarPlay with iOS 26 will let your stream movies to your automobile’s display screen out of your iPhone utilizing AirPlay. As quickly as your automobile begins shifting, the characteristic needs to be disabled. Whether or not or not you’ll stream video might rely in your automobile mannequin.
Stay Actions and widgets
New Stay Actions in CarPlay will present real-time data whilst you drive.
Utilizing CarPlay with iOS 26, the identical widgets you’ve gotten in your iPhone ought to work in your automobile. Widgets are presently solely availble through Apple’s premium model of the service, CarPlay Ultra. You will additionally quickly have the ability to see real-time updates and data from Stay Actions like flight trackers.
Good Show Zoom
When this new characteristic is enabled in CarPlay with iOS 26, the CarPlay interface will probably be routinely resized to greatest use the out there display screen area, irrespective of its dimension. For instance a smaller display screen will cut back the dimensions of the icons in order that two rows of app icons can match correctly.
