Apple did not find yourself constructing its personal automobile, however it did give us CarPlay. With iOS 26, CarPlay is getting a number of neat enhancements, which incorporates improved design, an choice for larger font sizes, and helpful accessibility options too. Here is all the things new coming to CarPlay with Apple’s upcoming replace:
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With iOS 26, Stay Actions come to CarPlay. These pop-ups will let you preserve a tab on essential updates with out fiddling together with your telephone or the pinnacle unit. Stay Actions in your iPhone is helpful to trace deliveries, flight statuses, and way more, and whereas not all iOS use circumstances might be related right here, a few of these may even be accessible in CarPlay. (I believe the flight standing function might be particularly helpful for airport pickups and drop-offs.)
You need not do something to see Stay Actions in CarPlay. So long as it is seen in your iPhone, it’s going to present up on the CarPlay dashboard, or seem as a popover on prime of different apps similar to your navigation app. Apple says you’ll disable Stay Actions should you do not wish to see them, and even management their look by setting completely different Focus modes.
CarPlay can be including assist for widgets, together with issues like calendar entries, climate, and dawn/sundown occasions. You’ll choose which widgets you see on the CarPlay dashboard by going to Settings > Common > CarPlay on iPhone, deciding on your automobile, and selecting the widgets.
A brand new compact view for incoming calls
Credit score: Apple
The redesigned CarPlay with iOS 26 now features a compact view. For instance, if you obtain a telephone name, it’ll present up as a small pop-up on the display, as a substitute of taking on extra space. Which means that different essential data, similar to driving instructions, aren’t hidden if you obtain a telephone name.
What do you assume to date?
Just a few Messages upgrades
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With iOS 26, the Messages app in CarPlay will will let you use Tapbacks—Apple parlance for reacting to textual content messages with emojis. It will allow you to rapidly faucet an emoji to answer somebody by way of the automobile’s show. Messages may even allow you to view your iPhone’s pinned conversations, which makes it simpler to textual content folks you are incessantly in contact with.
Model new icons
Credit score: Apple
Sure, Liquid Glass is coming to your automobile as properly. The icons from iOS 26 have made their method to CarPlay. Whether or not you’re keen on them or hate them, you will see this new design in your automobile’s show.
Improved accessibility options
CarPlay with iOS 26 may even assist Giant Textual content, which will increase font sizes and makes textual content simpler to learn in your automobile’s display. Apple can be including Sound Recognition to CarPlay, which is able to notify drivers and passengers when iOS detects sure sounds. The notifications can warn you when CarPlay detects sirens, a crying child, horns, or different essential sounds.
