Oddly enough, Apple CarPlay could make its way to the water in the coming years. Sea-Doo confirms it’s look at the technology for future high-end personal watercraft models akin to Jet Skis, according to a new report.
CarPlay could come to personal watercraft
However, don’t expect to start whizzing around on the waves with CarPlay anytime soon. Sea-Doo faces several hurdles before the familiar iPhone interface with apps can become a reality, according to Watercraft Zone.
Current display technology
Seven of the 15 models in Sea-Doo’s 2026 lineup now feature a 10.25-inch touchscreen display as standard equipment. That’s the largest screen currently available in the personal watercraft market.
The same display sits on Can-Am three-wheel motorcycles, which are manufactured by BRP Powersports, Sea-Doo’s parent company. Notably, the Can-Am motorcycles equipped with this screen already support CarPlay functionality.
Technical challenges ahead
Christian Comtois, Sea-Doo’s global product strategy manager, outlined the obstacles facing CarPlay integration. He pointed out CarPlay is designed for road vehicles and faces limitations in marine environments. Navigation apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps would provide minimal advantages over Sea-Doo’s current display capabilities. They aren’t optimized for water-based navigation.
The primary benefit would be access to music-streaming apps. But Comtois acknowledged this would require substantial development work. Technical requirements include adding a microphone to the watercraft and other modifications to ensure compatibility with the instrument cluster.
The approval process
Beyond the engineering challenges, Sea-Doo must secure approval from Apple for this unconventional application. Comtois noted that getting Apple’s green light for “powersports and off-road applications” is particularly difficult.
When asked about the company’s confidence in eventually receiving approval, he responded that it was feasible but would depend on customer demand and market evolution.
Comtois acknowledged consumers find CarPlay appealing due to its familiarity from automotive use. But the company needs to evaluate whether the feature is genuinely necessary for watercraft applications before pursuing development.
Timeline remains uncertain
So Sea-Doo has not provided a specific timeframe for when Apple CarPlay might debut on its watercraft. The company takes a measured approach, balancing customer desires with technical feasibility and development costs. As Comtois indicated, the feature would arrive if customer needs justify the investment required to overcome the technical and approval challenges.
For Apple users who enjoy both their iPhones and water sports, the prospect of seamlessly integrating their favorite apps and music services while riding remains a possibility. But it could take a few years.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
One response to “Ahoy: CarPlay could come to personal watercraft”
Just don’t lose you miPhone in the drink or you are SOL.