Big update: CarPlay with iOS 26 promises useful innovations

With iOS 26, CarPlay also receives an unusually extensive update. In addition to new Liquid Glass design elements, Apple is expanding auto integration with widgets and live activities. In the future, users will see both directly in the infotainment system, for widgets there will be their own view on the CarPlay Homescreen. All of these innovations not only come to the “next generation” CarPlay Ultra, but also the classic car play. At the same time, Apple underlines that existing customers can expect important innovations there.

Airplay video and electricity prices

This soon includes the option of playing video in the (parking) car. This is where Apple According to the description text on its developer side On the streaming protocol AirPlay. Accordingly, vehicle manufacturers have to support this in their on -board systems, so it could be long in coming.

Providers of electric cars are also able to integrate Apple’s new framework “Energykit” into their apps so that customers only load their vehicle when the current is particularly cheap and “green”. However, Apple only delivers data on the electricity mix and price information from electricity providers only for the USA – and only with a few providers.

MultiTouch and turning instructions for navigation apps

For Navi apps, CarPlay in iOS 26 provides two fundamental innovations, from which users benefit significantly: on newer infotainment systems, the map view can then be conveniently controlled by multitouch instead of the mostly bulky operation with arrow buttons.

In addition, such apps can provide metadata so that turning instructions appear in the on-board system and head-up display. Apple demonstrated this in a VW of the ID series, where the turning arrows then appear on the instrument panel in addition to the CarPlay view. Audio apps are also able to integrate live sports results into the play view, for example for a current football game. This has been available since iOS 18.4.

Users who had hoped for a car play opening for further app categories are disappointed. Video, browser and weather apps remain in CarPlay, although demand is increasing, especially for charging stops in electric cars. Apple blocked the latest workarounds from third-party developers. Android Auto is already one step further, as Google announced at its developer conference. In addition to video and browser apps, there is even gaming in the standing vehicle.