The times are a-changin’
Automakers are great at making vehicles, but not so good with in-car software. For many, Google’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay bring a welcome reprieve from the infotainment platforms that are standard with every vehicle sold worldwide. With the launch of iOS 26, available on most iPhones in use worldwide, comes a new look for your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and even CarPlay.
Apple also introduced new functionality to CarPlay, enabling users to interact with contacts in familiar yet innovative ways. There’s even a new feature that Apple didn’t promote, which will make CarPlay much better when you’re not driving. Here’s everything you can expect from your iPhone’s new update.
iOS 26 and CarPlay: Radical new changes
Both the iPhone and CarPlay interface now feature “Liquid Glass,” a new interface design that introduces shinier app icons and translucent elements. For CarPlay, the changes won’t be as drastic as those for the iPhone, but it will still look very different. In case you were wondering, no, you don’t have the option to revert to the old interface if you don’t like it.
For those who frequently use the Messages app, CarPlay now lets you use the Tapback feature from within your infotainment screen. You’ll be able to heart, thumbs up, thumbs down, question, and use the “haha” or exclamation point replies. This mimics the same standard Tapback features found on the iPhone, and the options will be presented on-screen when Siri reads a message to you via CarPlay. Pinned conversations are also now more prominent and easy to find.
When you receive calls, the incoming call will no longer take up the entire screen. Instead, calls will appear as pop-ups at the bottom of the CarPlay screen that you can choose to answer or reject. This means those of us who receive calls while using a navigation app like Apple Maps (yes, it’s good now!) will no longer have the entire screen taken over by spam calls.
Live Activities, a feature in iOS 26 that tracks things like flights in real-time, is also coming to CarPlay. A new customizable widget screen also makes it easier to control HomeKit accessories and view your calendar appointments for the day at a glance. Those who want bigger items on-screen, or who have trouble viewing icons in CarPlay’s default view, will now be able to use Smart Display Zoom to make icons and text larger or smaller.
A game-changing feature that Apple didn’t make a big deal about
When your car is parked, CarPlay will now let you watch videos on your vehicle’s screen. When paired with an iPhone running iOS 26, users can AirPlay videos to their CarPlay screen, which is a foundational screen-casting and file-sharing tool in iOS. That means you can now you can watch YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and more when you’re waiting for your friend’s flight to land.
Final thoughts
iOS 26 will be available on the iPhone SE and any model newer than and including the iPhone 11. And yes, you will need to update your device in order to utilize the new features in CarPlay, as Apple’s in-car infotainment platform is an extension of iOS.
Apple has worked hard to make its various platforms distinct, yet share similar functionality, and it’s nice that the company didn’t leave CarPlay out of that mix. It’s an important platform for Apple, which is still seeing resistance from automakers regarding the more built-in CarPlay Ultra. While it’s understandable that automakers don’t want to hand over the entire car interface to Apple, this latest update only proves why they should – Apple is simply better at this. If you can’t join ‘em, beat ‘em.
