- A cleaner design introduces more information with minimal distraction
- Tapbacks allows for quick, emoji-based responses to messages
- A new widget-based layout means more info on the screen
Apple has revealed the first all-new design of iOS since 2013, as it looks to introduce a brand new look and feel across its devices – and that also means new features for CarPlay.
Alongside a multitude of new features for iPhone, iPad and Mac, the tech behemoth also announced that this fresh new look will also make its way into vehicles via Apple CarPlay – the smartphone mirroring service that allows drivers to safely take advantage of applications while behind the wheel.
@techradar ♬ original sound - TechRadar
Although not the complete overhaul that Apple CarPlay Ultra introduces, which sees CarPlay extend well beyond the central infotainment display and effectively take over all screens within a vehicle, the upcoming update to regular ol' CarPlay still brings with it some useful features.
1. Easy on the eye, easier to use
The introduction of iOS 26 will usher in a new ‘Liquid Glass’ design ethos that the company describes as a "translucent material that reflects and refracts its surroundings".
In plain speak, the UX acts like small magnifying glass that highlights content when a user interacts with it.
The look will be carried across to Apple CarPlay, so we will no longer have the very basic two or three rows of static, 2D app icons and instead have emblems that appear to pop out of the screen.
There’s also a navigation bar to the left or right of the main screen that allows easy hopping between the most-used or favorite applications.
2. Compact view reduces interruptions
Currently, receiving a call while using CarPlay can be frustrating, as the incoming call notification butts into entertainment and gets in the way of navigation.
Apple’s iOS 26 will get rid of this, as it will introduce a compact view that delivers pop-up overlay whenever a call comes in.
This makes it a lot simpler to see who is calling and choose to either answer or reject, without missing an important upcoming turn.
What’s more, Apple will also introduce Tapbacks and pinned conversations to the messaging app, making it a lot easier to reply to messages with simple emojis and keep track of conversations without taking eyes off the road to read reams of text.
3. Widgets are welcome
It looks like Apple will address some of the key concerns with current CarPlay, including the requirement to constantly juggle and swipe between the numerous screens when interacting with various apps.
The introduction of widgets, which is one of the key components of Apple CarPlay Ultra and a feature that Android Auto users have been able to enjoy for a long time, allows multiple apps to effectively be open on a single screen.
For example, Apple Maps can take up the majority of an infotainment display, while widgets at the side can indicate an estimated arrival time, a condensed icon of the current track that’s playing (as well as the ability to skip songs) and even a live flight tracker.
4. Take back control of calls
Several new iPhone-based iOS 26 features that have been designed to minimize distractions will also make their way into the vehicle, with Call Screening building on the current Live Voicemail feature by gathering information on the caller and delivering this in the form of a notification.
The driver (or anyone in the car with an iPhone, for that matter) can then look at this information and decide whether or not they can be bothered to pick up. It’s a handy feature for screening the numerous fraudulent calls and irritating sales pitches that nobody has time for, especially when driving.
Hold Assist also streamlines productivity in so much that it detects hold music and asks the user if they would like their place in the queue to be automatically held. The iPhone will then call the user back when an operator becomes free.
This reduces the amount of time spent listening to annoying hold music, rather than enjoying a radio station, podcast or Spotify playlist when attempting to keep on top of life admin when on the road.
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