iOS in the Car Development Plagued by Organizational Issues

by

Organizational issues have been plaguing Apple's development of iOS in the Car, according to The Information's Jessica E. Lessin (via AppleInsider). Because iOS in the Car did not fit neatly into an existing hardware or software team at Apple, executives reportedly "didn't quite know what to do" with the program.

ios_car_7_1

iOS in the Car from iOS 7.1 (Source: Denis Stas)

The disconnect is attributed primarily to overarching organizational issues that are said to place pressure on non-hardware products that do not fit within existing teams.

Even in the lead-up to iOS in the Car's high-profile unveiling at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference last June, executives were reportedly still unsure about the product's future.

According to Lessin, the team working on iOS in the Car was forced to "lobby hard" for stage time during the Worldwide Developers Conference where the product was first demonstrated.

Since that time, iOS in the Car has been listed as an iOS 7 feature "Coming Soon" on Apple's website with no update on its availability. The feature is intended to provide enhanced iOS integration in automobiles, offering an iOS-style interface on the car’s touchscreen dash that allows users to make phone calls, access Maps, control music, and more.

Recently, developer Steven Troughton-Smith released both screenshots and a video of iOS in the Car in action, as the software is partially built into iOS 7.0.3 but unaccessible by default.

The iOS in the Car content shared by Troughton-Smith appears to confirm some of Apple's struggles with the software. While one design is depicted in the video, Troughton-Smith's screenshots and commentary on Twitter indicate that iOS in the Car has undergone a redesign from its early depiction on Apple's website and at least one other redesign in iOS 7.1, which is currently available for developers.

Video of iOS in the Car in iOS 7.1 (Source: Denis Stas)

Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that iOS in the Car is a "key focus" for Apple and the company believes that "having something in the automobile is very important," but it remains unclear when iOS in the Car might make its official debut.

While many car makers have expressed interest in including iOS in the Car in their 2014 models, cars with the feature have yet to materialize. Thus far, in-car integration with Apple devices remains largely limited to Siri Eyes Free and Honda's HondaLink, which falls well short of full iOS in the Car functionality.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
Related Forum: HomePod, HomeKit, CarPlay, Home & Auto Technology

Popular Stories

Apple Wallet ID Illinois

Apple Plans to Expand iPhone Driver's Licenses to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday December 24, 2025 8:40 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...
Read Full Article • 42 comments
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
Read Full Article • 93 comments
maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
Read Full Article • 166 comments
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
Read Full Article
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

Monday December 22, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...
Read Full Article • 98 comments
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...
Read Full Article • 195 comments
maxresdefault

10 Mac Apps Worth Trying in 2026

Wednesday December 24, 2025 9:27 am PST by
2026 is almost upon us, and a new year is a good time to try out some new apps. We've rounded up 10 excellent Mac apps that are worth checking out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Alt-Tab (Free) - Alt-Tab brings a Windows-style alt + tab thumbnail preview option to the Mac. You can see a full window preview of open apps and app windows. One Thing (Free) -...
Read Full Article • 74 comments
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Samsung Developing 'Wide Fold' With iPhone Fold-Like Design Ahead of Apple's 2026 Launch

Tuesday December 23, 2025 11:55 am PST by
Samsung is working on a new foldable smartphone that's wider and shorter than the models that it's released before, according to Korean news site ETNews. The "Wide Fold" will compete with Apple's iPhone Fold that's set to launch in September 2026. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18...
Read Full Article • 82 comments
iphone fold 3d print

Have a 3D Printer? You Can Make Your Own iPhone Fold Dummy

Tuesday December 23, 2025 1:31 pm PST by
Apple is working on a foldable iPhone that's set to come out in September 2026, and rumors suggest that it will have a display that's around 5.4 inches when closed and 7.6 inches when open. Exact measurements vary based on rumors, but one 3D designer has created a mockup based on what we've heard so far. On MakerWorld, a user named Subsy has uploaded a 1:1 iPhone Fold replica (via Macworld), ...
Read Full Article • 122 comments

Top Rated Comments

LordVic Avatar
LordVic
155 months ago
this is not something I see apple really doing well in. They might have a better time with some sort of mountable 2nd screen or 3rd party head unit that can be installed.

but if Apple wants to be able to sell this as a built in headunit for a car, they're going to have to allow it to communicate with all platforms, including Android and WinPho8.

People purchasing cars that are dozens fo thousands of dollars aren't going to be happy to then be stuck with a "smart" headunit that can only talk to iOS devices.

I know when I bought a car a couple years ago, which i spent a good chunk of my income on. If you told me the only way to get most of the functionality out of the headunit was getting an iPhone, I would have likely walked out of the dealership.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
smulji Avatar
smulji
155 months ago
if there wasn't issues they wouldn't be doing anything. Issues lead to progress.

sure, as long as the issues get fixed.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Krevnik Avatar
Krevnik
155 months ago
I wonder how the car manufacturers will deal with this. Having integration with IOS only, could not be a smart decision. I would only assume you would have to be able to integrate with any one of the ios, android or windows systems, so car manufacturers would not to be turning customers off or away.

Guess it comes down to maybe being able to order which operating system you require as an option before taking possesion. Would hate to be the owner then, that has both an iphone and an android.

I'll expound a bit on my previous post to make this clear what iOS in the Car is:

The whole goal here is to let the phone export video to the head unit and accept touch input from it. Nothing more. By keeping the software on the phone itself, it reduces problems in the long run. This isn't new technology.

AppRadio, MirrorLink, iOS in the Car. They are all really the same thing in the end. Just different implementations of the same idea. If a head unit supports both MirrorLink and iOS in the Car, they cover both Android devices and iOS. You already see Pioneer units that support both their AppRadio system for iOS/Android and MirrorLink for Android units.

And this won't replace existing inputs in head units either. It is just another 'mode' the head unit can be in.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SusanK Avatar
SusanK
155 months ago
I really hope this feature comes to fruition. In car interfaces are absolutely awful, and Apple has a huge opportunity here to make some big progress.

If Apple ever stops talking about innovation and starts innovating :mad:
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rogifan Avatar
Rogifan
155 months ago
Wow so big companies have organizational issues. Color me shocked!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Krevnik Avatar
Krevnik
155 months ago
this is not something I see apple really doing well in. They might have a better time with some sort of mountable 2nd screen or 3rd party head unit that can be installed.

but if Apple wants to be able to sell this as a built in headunit for a car, they're going to have to allow it to communicate with all platforms, including Android and WinPho8.

Apple's not making their own head unit. They are engineering the protocol between the iPhone and the head unit, and providing the software in iOS itself. Think AppRadio, only baked into iOS. The head unit needs to support the protocol (AirPlay over USB + Touch Input back to the phone over USB).
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments