Apple announced a few new features in CarPlay and the new CarPlay Ultra.
With the launch of iOS 26, CarPlay’s interface will be able to switch to a compact design so when a call comes in, you can still see what’s on your screen such as navigation, tapbacks (emoji reactions) and pinned conversations in messages.
With iOS 26, widgets, including those for live events, are available in CarPlay for at-a-glance updates, say on a friend’s flight status.
The same updates are available in the new CarPlay Ultra, so far available only on the Aston Martin. With CarPlay Ultra, all screens in the car, including the gauge cluster, can show the CarPlay experience. Also CarPlay expands to include radio controls and HVAC controls.
As reported earlier, other vehicle makers are expected to incorporate CarPlay Ultra including Hyundai, Kia and Genesis.
Apple Director of Car Experience Engineering Emily Schubert also announced that CarPlay is used over 600 million times a day “and is a must have feature all over the world.”
Among other general features announced for iOS 26 is a”Liquid Glass” design where background is viewable through buttons and switches. See more at The Verge.
Source: Apple (scroll to 18:25 for CarPlay announcement).
