During the last a number of years, CarPlay’s new options have been uncommon and few. However between CarPlay Extremely’s launch and all the things new coming in iOS 26 for traditional CarPlay, issues have shortly modified. Right here’s what’s coming this fall in iOS 26, CarPlay’s biggest update in years.

New ‘Liquid Glass’ design

As a part of Apple’s cross-platform design revamp this 12 months, the brand new ‘Liquid Glass’ look of iOS 26 extends to the automotive too.

This implies app icons and numerous UI parts have all obtained a recent new design, and you may even customise the look with completely different icon look modes, selecting from Default, Darkish, and Clear—with the latter providing a number of of its personal variants.

For a gallery of the obtainable design choices, take a look at our protection right here.

Years in the past, CarPlay widgets had been introduced as a part of Apple’s “subsequent era of CarPlay” initiative.

That new model ultimately grew to become CarPlay Extremely, however fortunately Apple is bringing widgets to the usual CarPlay expertise too.

In iOS 26, your automotive can show any widgets out of your iPhone’s put in apps. So apps received’t even want to supply particular CarPlay help so that you can use their widgets on the go.

Video in the automotive by way of AirPlay

Ever discovered your self sitting in the automotive needing to kill time? In fact you may have. CarPlay in iOS 26 will make that have higher because of help for video in the automotive.

When your automotive is parked, CarPlay will now allow you to watch video utilizing your car’s show. The characteristic makes use of AirPlay expertise, and third-social gathering apps can construct customized help.

So the following time you’re charging your EV, ready to select up a pal or member of the family, or another comparable state of affairs, CarPlay could have you coated.

Reside Actions

It’s an enormous 12 months for Reside Actions, the characteristic that was previously iPhone and Apple Watch unique. Along with debuting on the Mac and iPad in macOS Tahoe and iPadOS 26, CarPlay now helps Reside Actions too.

Primarily, no matter Reside Exercise is operating in your iPhone will now show in CarPlay too—good for monitoring flights, sports activities scores, meals deliveries, and extra.

Messages, Telephone, Maps enhancements

Apple has a ton of recent options coming to system apps in iOS 26 that may profit CarPlay too. However listed here are just a few particular updates I’ll spotlight for Messages, Telephone, and Maps.

Messages is lastly bringing tapback help to your automotive. This in style Messages characteristic will allow you to shortly and simply add a thumbs up, coronary heart, or some other tapback to your folks’ messages. Pinned conversations are supported in the automotive now too.

The Telephone app will get an vital UI change in iOS 26: now not will incoming calls take over your complete display screen, however quite they’ll seem in a compact view so that you received’t miss vital navigation information.

Lastly, in case your car provides a multitouch show, Apple Maps will allow you to work together with the map utilizing multitouch for the primary time.

CarPlay will get a particular ‘Sensible Show Zoom’ characteristic in iOS 26 that gives extra flexibility in how your restricted display screen actual property is used.

As seen in our gallery right here, Sensible Show Zoom can allow you to suit considerably extra content material on display screen without delay. In fact, then smaller issues get, the trickier they is likely to be to faucet whereas driving. However relying in your setup, you may discover CarPlay’s new iOS 26 structure choices a compelling different.

Equally, CarPlay will allow you to resize textual content to your liking, making it bigger and simpler to learn if that’s your desire.

iOS 26’s new CarPlay options: wrap-up

It’s turning into an enormous 12 months for CarPlay, kicking off a robust ‘subsequent era’ for the longtime person favourite. With the entire new options coming to CarPlay, iOS 26 will supply much more than simply upgrades in your iPhone—it is going to be an enormous change in your automotive too.

Which new CarPlay options in iOS 26 are you most enthusiastic about? Tell us in the feedback.

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