The first iOS 26 developer beta is now available, and a public beta will follow next month. The update will be released later this year.
Liquid Glass Design
When you are using CarPlay with an iPhone running iOS 26, the new Liquid Glass design extends to the CarPlay interface. Like on the iPhone, the new look includes more shimmery app icons and translucent user interface elements.
New Messages App Features
Starting with iOS 26, you can respond to messages with standard Tapbacks like a heart, thumbs up, or exclamation marks directly through CarPlay.
Plus, you can now view your pinned conversations in the Messages app on CarPlay.
Compact View for Phone Calls
CarPlay has a new compact view for incoming phone calls, so that you can still see other information on the screen, such as turn-by-turn directions.
Live Activities
CarPlay's Dashboard screen can now show Live Activities, letting you keep track of things like a flight's arrival time at a glance.
Widgets
The regular version of CarPlay now has a customizable widgets screen, for things like calendar appointments and HomeKit accessory controls.
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors.
According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
Friday September 5, 2025 9:33 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 17 series in just four days from now, and the biggest design mystery surrounding the Pro models has finally been solved.
In a report outlining his expectations for Apple's event next week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the iPhone 17 Pro models will have "a new cutout area on the bottom two-thirds of the phone that doubles as the wireless charging area."...
Apple is preparing to launch two versions of the AirPods Pro 3 over 2025 and 2026, according to a Weibo leaker.
Yesterday, supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to debut the AirPods Pro 3 this year. They could arrive as soon as this week at Apple's "Awe dropping" event.
Crucially, Kuo added that Apple is planning to introduce a successor to this year's AirPods ...
Sunday September 7, 2025 10:52 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to release AirPods Pro 3 this year, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
All signs point towards Apple unveiling the AirPods Pro 3 during its iPhone 17 event on Tuesday, September 9. However, Kuo did not provide a specific timeframe beyond the second half of 2025, which lines up with previous rumors.
Kuo did not mention any new features that are planned for the...
Sunday September 7, 2025 9:03 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
Just ahead of Apple unveiling the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, it appears that battery capacities for the devices have surfaced in a Chinese regulatory database.
The table below lists the alleged battery capacities for each model, which were shared in a post on X today by an account known as ShrimpApplePro.
The database suggests that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro...
Funny how the only one of the five that means anything to me is the minimalized incoming call notification. The rest? Who cares. Widgets? Live activities? No. What WOULD have been awesome is parity across all vehicles. Taking 5-10 minutes every time I get into a new rental car to redo all the carplay settings is such an unnecessary chore. Why can't it just pull my preferences and load a familiar layout right from the start? It's my phone, which means it's still me, and I want my layout whether I'm driving my F-150 at home, a Honda Civic in LA or a CX-5 in Boise. At least give us a toggle for "keep personal preferences across all vehicles," Apple. It's not hard.
I love all the new ways drivers can distract themselves from the important task at hand of keeping their car on the road and not hitting another car, person, bicyclist, etc.
Don't get me wrong - I love carplay and it offers a load of benefits. But the more opportunities for interaction the more it contributes to safety hazards.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
