Apple CarPlay to get major usability and customisation update
Apple CarPlay is to receive a major update aimed at increasing usability and introducing more customisation options.
Arriving as part of a IOS 26 – previewed on Monday night and pencilled to launch in the autumn – the main focus has been to keep key information, like maps, more visible.
As part of this, incoming phone call notifications will no longer take up the whole infotainment display or cover mapping directions, instead displayed in a more compact view.
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Alongside this, messages will be less distracting, says Apple, popping up as a small notifications at the bottom of the screen. Users will now also be able to respond to them with Tapbacks and pin contacts.
Apple has also given CarPlay a new design, mirroring the more curved-edges look of the upcoming IOS 26 system. What’s more, the update brings widget customisation (so the home screen can be designed by the user) and Live Activities (such as flight tracking) so “users can stay in the loop without losing focus on the road”, says Apple.
The new changes will also apply to the next generation CarPlay Ultra. First to be used by Aston Martin models, this runs across the driver’s display as well as the infotainment, bringing additional customisation options while also being able to control various in-car functions.
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