CarPlay is seeing considered one of its largest updates in years due to the upcoming launch of iOS 27. Listed below are all the brand new options, together with Siri AI and Apple TV apps.
At WWDC 2026, Apple formally unveiled its subsequent model of iOS. The replace, iOS 27, can be launched within the fall of 2026 and is packed filled with helpful new options.
CarPlay, Apple’s in-car UI, is powered by iOS, so this new software program will deliver a bunch of enhancements to your automotive. This 12 months, a minimum of one main function would require some critical automaker help.
Siri AI in CarPlay
Apple Intelligence appeared to occupy nearly half of Apple’s WWDC keynote. Rather a lot is occurring, and a very good portion of that’s mirrored within the automotive.
On telephones that help Apple Intelligence, Siri will develop into Siri AI. Which means Siri can be extra succesful and get a brand new look.
If you invoke Siri AI, it now has a darkish, glassy orb on the backside of your automotive’s show. It mimics the look of the brand new UI that lives within the Dynamic Island on iPhone.
New Siri AI orb in CarPlay with iOS 27
Siri is extra conversational now, going forwards and backwards with you as you ask questions and follow-ups. Apple’s digital assistant has extra private context, too.
Whereas testing it, I may ask extra difficult questions with a number of motion objects. As I left the home, I requested Siri to show off the lights within the studio, get me instructions to my son’s faculty, and textual content my spouse my ETA.
Your entire Siri conversations are saved within the new Siri app. It has the identical icon as on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and lets you return to the earlier dialog you’ve got had.
These conversations additionally sync throughout your platforms by way of iCloud. So if I begin a dialog within the automotive, I can choose it up on my iPad once I get to the place I am going.
New chat-style interface for apps with iOS 27 CarPlay
Together with the brand new Siri AI, Apple is permitting any app to supply up a dialog mode. This was beforehand restricted to AI apps like ChatGPT or Perplexity.
The concept is that these apps may presumably faucet into Apple Intelligence fashions and give you the power to talk, somewhat than use bodily faucets throughout the app.
When you had a pizza app, you might open it, inform the app what you wished along with your voice, which may construct your order, offer you a complete, and submit it with an estimated pickup time. There is a new UI aspect for this that hovers over the app’s contents.
Each first-party and third-party media apps will get upgrades due to iOS 27. This consists of the Apple Music and Apple Podcasts apps.
Apple Music seems extra organized and has a richer format due to added media graphics. The massive change, although, is the addition of the mini participant.
New mini participant in Podcasts and Apple Music apps with iOS 27 CarPlay
The brand new mini participant sits within the top-right nook of the show when you may have one thing enjoying. It minimizes, exhibiting the album artwork and a play/pause button.
That method, whereas one thing is enjoying, you’ll be able to browse the remainder of the app whereas nonetheless retaining fast management of the present media.
Earlier than, it could be two faucets to get to the media in case you weren’t on the “now enjoying” display screen. You would need to faucet the play icon within the top-right nook, then hit pause, which is not very best in case you’re driving.
The same refresh involves the Apple Podcasts app. It has a streamlined UI and a mini participant.
That mini participant is a brand new UI aspect that is not going to be unique to Apple apps. Apple has made it out there to anybody who’s creating media apps for CarPlay, and you’ll count on lots of the common streaming apps to undertake it.
Apple TV and video help for CarPlay
One other main change is video help. That is far more sturdy than what was beforehand included in iOS 26.
As a part of iOS 26, Apple allowed apps to stream their content material on a automotive’s infotainment system by way of AirPlay. It was solely on supported automobiles that needed to get accredited by Apple’s MFi Program.
Grid of apps within the simulator with iOS 27
Now, Apple is permitting full, native video streaming purposes as a brand new app class with iOS 27. AirPlay remains to be an possibility, however now you’ll be able to browse and choose content material from the automotive’s interface, too.
I used to be capable of take a look at this out for myself utilizing Apple’s new CarPlay simulator in Xcode. Apple is providing up preliminary help with the inclusion of the Apple TV app within CarPlay.
Apple TV app in CarPlay with iOS 27
There are a number of asterisks right here. Automakers themselves nonetheless should allow this, which implies that we most definitely can be ready for that to occur.
When a automobile does add help, it should be in park for any movies to play. That counts whether or not the content material is began by way of AirPlay or a local video participant.
Enjoying a video in CarPlay with iOS 27
One neat trick is that in case you are watching a video and you progress the automotive from park to drive, your video will routinely fall again to audio-only. That is nice for issues like sports activities if you nonetheless need to comply with alongside, even if you cannot watch it.
Different small modifications for CarPlay in iOS 27
Apart from the massive new options, there are a number of different modifications, tweaks, and optimizations Apple is rolling out to its in-car resolution.
Wi-fi connection is now stated to be extra steady than earlier than. Hopefully, that reduces the audio lag that may typically be current.
Navigation apps are actually capable of talk with the automotive’s system. The concept behind that is that the automotive can see your route and counsel any modifications.
The obvious use case right here is for EVs. When you put in a route, and your automotive realizes you solely have a lot battery remaining, it could suggest the best charging station so as to add to the journey.
This complete forwards and backwards is permission-based, so you have to OK it earlier than the communication occurs, and you have to OK any modifications to the route. In any other case, no data or route is shared along with your automotive.
There are just a few new icons with iOS 27. In Wi-Fi settings, in case you use wi-fi CarPlay, there’s a new CarPlay icon on the community to assist determine it, and there’s an up to date battery icon system-wide.
New wallpapers in CarPlay with iOS 27
Lastly, there are new wallpapers. Apple added 12 wallpapers for CarPlay in iOS 27, and so they all have the same swirl, like with the iOS 27 ones for iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
By going into the settings app, customers can select one of many new wallpapers that are available in numerous colours.
CarPlay can be up to date routinely when iOS 27 is launched to the general public.
