Apple CarPlay is to receive a major update aimed at increasing usability and introducing more customisation options.
Arriving as part of the new iOS 26 software package for iPhones (previewed on Monday night and due in the autumn), the main focus has been to keep key information, like maps, more visible.
As part of this, incoming phone call notifications will no longer take up the whole infotainment display or cover mapping directions, instead being displayed in a more compact view.
Incoming messages will be made less distracting, said Apple, popping up as a small notifications at the bottom of the screen. Users will now also be able to respond to them with emoji ‘Tapbacks’ and pin contacts.
Apple has also given CarPlay a new design, mirroring the more curved-edges look of the upcoming iOS 26 system.
What’s more, the update brings widget customisation (meaning the home screen can be designed by the user) and Live Activities (such as flight tracking) so that “users can stay in the loop without losing focus on the road”.
The changes will also apply to the next-generation CarPlay Ultra software package.
First to be used by Aston Martin, this runs across a car’s instrument display as well as its infotainment display, bringing additional customisation options while also being able to control various in-car functions.
