iOS 26 was officially announced by Apple during WWDC 2025 on Monday (9). Fortunately, some new features will also arrive for Apple CarPlay.
For those who use Apple CarPlay in their car multimedia system, the operating system will jump from version 18.5 directly to version 26, promising some interesting new features.
The change aligns with Apple’s other operating systems, including iOS for iPhones, iPadOS for iPads, macOS for Macs, and watchOS for Apple Watches, all of which will carry the “26” designation in their next update.
According to Apple, CarPlay will now be easier to use and look more aesthetically pleasing. The new interface will adopt Liquid Glass, a design with transparent details that will also come to the other operating systems.
Another interesting visual update is that CarPlay will now automatically switch between Light and Dark modes depending on the time of day, a feature that can be very useful for night visibility.
Photos released by Apple reveal that more apps will be available as Widgets. Additionally, Apple Maps appears to have been updated, providing optimized information by analyzing drivers’ usual routes and suggesting alternative routes in case of delays.
Apple will also bring its “Live Activities” feature to CarPlay, meaning drivers can receive real-time updates and notifications.
While driving and sending messages is never a good idea, CarPlay will allow users to reply to messages while on the road via the “Tapbacks” feature, which enables quick replies through a selection of emojis displayed on the screen.
Moreover, Apple seems to have realized that answering calls on CarPlay was very disruptive. Now, instead of the call taking over the whole screen, only a small pop-up will appear on the side, preventing you from losing sight of the GPS while talking to someone.
The update is already available in Beta for those in the Developer Program, but will be released to the general public in the second half of the year for iPhone 11 and newer users.
Photo and video: Apple. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
