iPhone in the car: widgets for carplay, more car keys – and still not a browser

Together with its other new operating systems from iOS 26, MacOS 26 to TVOS 26, Apple has also announced innovations for CarPlay this week. Apple’s vehicle integration gets a new look and various smaller and larger improvements.

New design, widgets, more

The design should be based on the “Liquid Glass” interface already built into the other systems. Widgets that can be placed on the home screen are now also integrated. Apple demonstrated as examples, among other things, elements from HomeKit and the calendar. Developers can also build their own widgets. The news app receives tapbacks for quick answers, live activities are now also shown in the vehicle. The new UI now blinds telephone calls and other incoming messages so that the current view is not covered.

Apple still did not install a browser, most recently the group had banned one – just like a video playback – via its app review. It doesn’t matter whether the car is or not. The category has not yet been allowed, although it would be technically not a problem to implement it. The new surface also comes on CarPlay Ultra, although this deeper integration into the car has not yet ended up in Europe anyway.

Car key for more cars

Apple’s car key function, a way to catch up the car via iPhone or Apple Watch, will “soon” receive more support from car manufacturers. In addition to the previous partners such as Audi, Mercedes, BMW, Volvo, Hyundai, Kia or Genesis (by now not all models), Porsche, Smart, Acura, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Rivian, Lucid Motors, Tata Motors, Hongqi, Wey, Chery and Voyah. Which vehicles this affects was also communicated.

The car key function uses Bluetooth and NFC. Technically, the function is supported from the iPhone XS (iPhone SE from the second generation). With the Apple Watch it has to be a Series 5 or newer, SE and Ultra / Ultra 2 also work. The digital key ends up in Apple’s wallet app. For the smart home, there is now also Apple’s Home Key for electronic locks, which is still hardly widespread in Europe.