CarPlay is gaining a lot of new features with iOS 26, including a Liquid Glass design, Live Activities, widgets, the ability to use Tapbacks and view pinned conversations in the Messages app, and more. But that's not all, as Apple has outlined another change coming to CarPlay with iOS 26 in a WWDC 2025 video for developers.
Specifically, Apple said that iOS 26 will allow CarPlay users to interact with mapping apps using multi-touch gestures in supported vehicles. This will allow users to zoom and pan on the map with their fingers, just like they can on an iPhone.
"Many new vehicles support multitouch interactions, including any vehicle that supports CarPlay Ultra," said Olivia Hess, a CarPlay software engineer at Apple, in the video session. "Starting in iOS 26, if a vehicle supports multitouch interactions in CarPlay, drivers can interact with your navigation app using multitouch gestures."
In the video, Apple highlighted another small but useful improvement to CarPlay that is available with iOS 18.4 and later: a sports mode for audio apps.
CarPlay apps that stream audio for live sports events can now show a scoreboard for the game on the CarPlay screen, right alongside controls for the audio feed. The revamped Now Playing view can show team logos, scores, the game clock, and more.
iOS 18.4 was released in late March, while iOS 26 is currently available in developer beta and will be released to all users later this year.
Earlier today, we reported that CarPlay will also be gaining the ability to play videos from an iPhone via AirPlay in supported vehicles.
At today's WWDC 2025 keynote event, Apple unveiled a new design that will inform the next decade of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS development, so needless to say, it was a busy day. Apple also unveiled a ton of new features for the iPhone, an overhauled Spotlight interface for the Mac, and a ton of updates that make the iPad more like a Mac than ever before.
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Apple today announced that iPadOS 26 will be compatible with the iPad models listed below.
iPadOS 26 features a new Liquid Glass design, a menu bar, improved app windowing, and more.
iPadOS 26 supports the following iPad models:iPad Pro (M4)
iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)
iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)
iPad Air (M2 and later)
iPad Air (3rd generation and...
Thursday June 12, 2025 8:58 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
Wednesday June 11, 2025 7:14 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple at WWDC previewed a bunch of new features coming in its updated operating systems, but certain changes will have been met with dismay by third-party developers who already offer apps with equivalent or similar features. In other words, their product has been "sherlocked" by Apple.
When Apple creates an app or a feature that has functionality found in a third-party app, it is referred...
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further.
During its WWDC 2025 keynote today, Apple said that 13...
Thursday June 12, 2025 4:53 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
With iOS 26, Apple has introduced some major changes to the iPhone experience, headlined by the new Liquid Glass redesign that's available across all compatible devices. However, several of the update's features are exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models, since they rely on Apple Intelligence.
The following features are powered by on-device large language models and machine...
Apple has announced iOS 26, and the upcoming software update includes a long list of new features and changes for iPhones.
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.
iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 and newer.
Below, we have provided a high-level overview of 100 new features and changes ...
Wednesday June 11, 2025 4:22 pm PDT by Juli Clover
iOS 26 features a whole new design material that Apple calls Liquid Glass, with a focus on transparency that lets the content on your display shine through the controls. If you're not a fan of the look, or are having trouble with readability, there is a step that you can take to make things more opaque without entirely losing out on the new look.
Apple has multiple Accessibility options that ...
Apple Maps in CarPlay is the worst. If you zoom out, Maps will just automatically zoom in right away. If you are about to make a turn, Maps is so zoomed in that you can't see where you should be going after that turn. This happens to me daily - I approach a 2-lane left turn and I'm not sure if I should be in the left or right turn lane because of another turn that may be within a block or two of my current turn. I question whether the folks who design these products actually use them on a daily basis. Just one example of many....
Apple made, in my opinion, the incredibly smart decision to make Maps features digital versus the constantly out of date and "road blocking" satellite view used by Google.
Apple's ever expanding 3D world includes trees/bushes, elevation, buildings, road markings, etc.
This type of Map is much more accurate and easier to update as well as provide helpful navigation features like adjusting the view to a viewer perspective and true lane guidance during complicated interchanges.
Currently only available in DCE (Detailed City Experience) areas, I'm guessing it will be introduced country wide in any full LookAround countries, but starting with updated USA and UK maps first for a larger impact.
Apple Maps in CarPlay is the worst. If you zoom out, Maps will just automatically zoom in right away. If you are about to make a turn, Maps is so zoomed in that you can't see where you should be going after that turn. This happens to me daily - I approach a 2-lane left turn and I'm not sure if I should be in the left or right turn lane because of another turn that may be within a block or two of my current turn. I question whether the folks who design these products actually use them on a daily basis. Just one example of many....
Totally agree... has probably caused tons of accidents this way already. Absolutely idiotic that not only does it zoom in when approaching turns, it literally changes perspective... how does one have have any depth perception on the map with this BS.
