Major update: CarPlay with iOS 26 promises useful new features

With iOS 26, CarPlay also receives an unusually extensive update. In addition to new Liquid Glass design elements, Apple is expanding car integration to include widgets and live activities. In future, users will see both directly in the infotainment system, with a separate view for widgets on the CarPlay home screen. All of these new features will not only apply to the "next generation" CarPlay Ultra, but also to classic CarPlay. At the same time, Apple is emphasizing that existing customers can expect important new features.

AirPlay Video and electricity prices

This will soon include the option to play video in the (parked) car. According to the description text on its developer page, Apple is relying on the AirPlay streaming protocol for this. Accordingly, vehicle manufacturers will probably have to support this in their on-board systems, so it could be a long time coming.

Providers of electric cars are also able to integrate Apple's new "EnergyKit" framework into their apps so that customers only charge their vehicle when the electricity is particularly cheap and "green", for example. For the time being, however, Apple is only providing data on the electricity mix and price information from electricity providers for the USA – and only from a few providers.

Multitouch and turn-by-turn directions for navigation apps

For navigation apps, CarPlay in iOS 26 provides two fundamental innovations from which users will benefit considerably: On newer infotainment systems, the map view can then be conveniently controlled via multitouch instead of the usually cumbersome operation with arrow buttons.

Such apps can also provide metadata so that turn-by-turn directions appear in the on-board system and head-up display. Apple demonstrated this in a VW from the ID series, where the turn arrows then appear on the instrument panel in addition to the CarPlay view. Audio apps are also able to integrate live sports results into the playback view, for example for an ongoing soccer match. This has been available since iOS 18.4.

Users who had hoped for CarPlay to be opened up to other app categories will be disappointed. Video, browser and weather apps are still missing in CarPlay, although demand is growing, especially for charging stops in electric cars. Apple blocked the latest workarounds from third-party developers. Android Auto is already one step ahead, as Google announced at its developer conference. In addition to video and browser apps, there are even plans for gaming in a stationary vehicle.

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