CarPlay is Apple’s in-car infotainment system that allows iPhone apps to appear on a car stereo’s touchscreen. It lets drivers utilize turn-by-turn navigation from Apple Maps (as well as competing services like Google Maps and Waze).
CarPlay also allows drivers to listen to music or podcasts using their favorite iPhone apps. Plus, it makes it easy to make and receive phone calls and text messages while driving.
Apple introduced CarPlay in 2014. A decade later, more than 800 car models support CarPlay, according to Apple. If your car didn’t come with a CarPlay-compatible touchscreen, you can easily add an after-market device.
Most cars require a wired USB connection to the iPhone to enable CarPlay. However, wireless CarPlay is rapidly becoming more widely available.
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.
Pioneer Electronics’ new Sphera device is the first aftermarket in-dash receiver that supports Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio playback through Apple CarPlay, the company said Monday at CES 2026. The device makes immersive audio technology accessible to drivers whose vehicles lack factory-installed Atmos systems.
“For over 80 years, Pioneer has achieved many technological ‘firsts’ — from the world’s first car CD player to the first aftermarket CarPlay integration,” said Chris Ono, the company’s CEO and chairman. “Sphera is the next bold chapter in that legacy. We developed a product that brings the rich, detailed sound of Dolby Atmos that moves the soul, to a solution that can be installed in many vehicles on the road today.”
Want a major car upgrade without buying a new vehicle? You can add a 7-inch dashboard display that works with Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto for just $59.97 (regularly $139.99). That’s a great deal on an after-market wireless CarPlay display with a vivid touchscreen.
Designed to put your smartphone’s features and apps front and center in any car, this wireless car display makes road trips easier, safer and more fun. It’s incredibly easy to set up and widely compatible with various automobiles.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Nobody saw this coming! The iPhone Pocket is a bizarre Apple product, and the press release announcing its precious existence is one of the most pretentious we’ve ever seen.
Still, it might be big in Asia!
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In a major reversal, Tesla is developing support for Apple CarPlay in its electric vehicles. That marks the end of years of resistance to one of the most requested features by potential customers, according to a new report Thursday.
Apple’s latest iOS 26.2 beta 2 may look like a minor update on the surface, but it hides a handful of clever changes. It builds on the changes found in iOS 26.2 beta 1 to deliver an even better experience.
Below are all the changes and tweaks iOS 26.2 beta 2 brings to your iPhone.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple reportedly plans to pay a cool $1 billion a year to use Google Gemini to make Siri smarter. How do we feel about that? Honestly, anything that fixes Siri sooner rather than later would be a big win.
Anybody creeped out about iPhones and Macs with Google inside should rest easy, though. Apple plans to keep everything safe and secure. And Cupertino’s still scrambling to get its own AI up to speed.
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For millions of iPhone users, Apple’s CarPlay marries basic transportation with a satisfying technology experience for navigation, entertainment and more.
But an expert’s new report points to troubling reasons why CarPlay’s days may be numbered, thanks to a growing automotive industry profit motive. Yes, of course, it’s all about money.
CarPlay Ultra’s adoption keeps hitting one roadblock after another. German automaker BMW has decided against integrating CarPlay Ultra into its vehicles.
Instead, BMW will focus on bringing its revamped iDrive experience to its future vehicles.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple reportedly plans to release its cheapest MacBook ever next year. This low-cost laptop might run on an iPhone chip and help Apple convince more people to switch from Windows machines.
Could playful colors — and possibly a plastic case — make this low-end Apple laptop a hit?
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In addition to a Liquid Glass design overhaul, iOS 26 will improve the CarPlay experience by bringing several iPhone features to cars’ infotainment displays.
If you’re a fan of Apple’s in-car software, check out how iOS 26 will upgrade your experience later this year.
CarPlay Ultra just hit another speed bump. Several automakers reportedly won’t use Apple’s most advanced in-dash infotainment system because it takes over too many features of the vehicle that the carmakers themselves want to control. This is especially bad news for Apple as some of these holdouts are companies that previously showed interest in implementing CarPlay Ultra.
On the other hand, there are well-known carmakers still planning on adding the system to their vehicles.
In a significant policy shift, Apple will let iPhone users stream videos directly to their CarPlay screens for the first time since the platform’s launch. With iOS 26, showcased at WWDC25, the tech giant introduced AirPlay video functionality for CarPlay. So you can stream video from apps in the car — but only when you’re parked.
With the PlayAIBox — a combination wireless CarPlay adapter and car streaming device — you can enjoy Apple’s in-car infotainment system, stream video and more without physically connecting your iPhone to your car. It works with nearly all cars, and puts CarPlay (or whatever you want to mirror from your iPhone or Android device) on your in-car display.
You could listen to your YouTube watchlist on the road, stream a quick episode of Fallout on your lunch break, or let your kids watch a movie while you watch the road. The first step is to get the PlayAIBox while it’s on sale for $74.97 (regularly $129.99).
April 22, 2013: The world gets its first Apple car. Well, kind of. In reality, the iBeetle is a collaboration with German automaker Volkswagen that offers a car “stylistically linked” to Apple.
This means Apple-inspired colors, a built-in docking station for your iPhone, and a special app that lets you control the car’s features.
Apple CarPlay is a popular perk of many newer cars, but you no longer need a luxury model to enjoy a modern driving experience. For a limited time, it’s cheaper than you’d imagine to add a CarPlay display to any vehicle. This affordable car touchscreen works with Android Auto, too.
How budget-friendly is it? You can currently purchase this 10-inch wireless touchscreen car display that works with both major infotainment platforms for only $99.97 (regularly $199.99). That’s 50% off a car accessory that supplies access to various helpful and safety-focused features.
Got an older car, or a newer one that lacks Apple CarPlay or Android Auto? We found a huge deal on “Amazon’s choice” of a portable screen for CarPlay and Android Auto that you can use in just about any car. The mega retailer’s deal is 37% off plus a $20 coupon, for massive combined savings of 57% off ($42.99 instead of $99.99). That ought to rev your engine.
Apple’s Vehicle Motion Cues feature will help you use your iPhone in the car by reducing feelings of motion sickness. With the feature turned on, dots along the edge of your iPhone screen will animate in sync with the motion of the plane, train or automobile you’re riding in.
According to Apple, “Motion sickness is commonly caused by a sensory conflict between what a person sees and what they feel.” Apple says these animations “reduce sensory conflict.”
It may sound weird, but the feature evidently works really well. Here’s how you can enable it.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple pulls the plug on a secret AR glasses project. What does this mean for Vision Pro?
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Apple’s next-gen CarPlay was supposed to arrive in 2024. That did not happen. Despite the delay, the company confirms it is working with several automakers on CarPlay 2.
Apple showcased the next-generation CarPlay at WWDC 2022. More than two and a half years later, it still hasn’t showed up.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest rumors indicate the iPhone 17 Pro camera will get a major upgrade. Shocker!
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While Apple CarPlay 2’s expected 2024 release still hasn’t happened, newly leaked images Tuesday show a familiar widget-based interface that mirrors experiences across iOS, iPadOS and macOS devices.
The leaker is considered reliable. If the images prove genuine, they suggest a sensible drive by the iPhone giant to provide a seamless experience across the Apple ecosystem, even on the road.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: An interesting new gadget called the Flexbar takes Apple’s doomed Touch Bar idea and runs with it. Instead of being fixed in place like on the MacBook Pro, this customizable OLED strip connects to Macs and PCs via USB-C.
It looks pretty cool! But can it succeed where the Touch Bar failed?
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You can now enjoy Apple Music Classical on the road per new updates Apple made Tuesday in version 2.1 of the app. It added CarPlay and Siri support to the service, in addition to other minor improvements to raise the quality level.
“Hey, Siri, crank up Brahms’ Sonata for Piano and Violin in G Major, and rip the knob off,” is something you could try saying as you drive around. But will the silence remain?
Built-in car touchscreens that work with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto come standard in most modern cars, but there’s an easy way to enjoy the benefits even if your car is a little dated. Simply add an affordable aftermarket CarPlay display.
With this 9-inch wireless car display, you can enjoy safer accessibility to your smartphone while driving. For a limited time, it’s on sale for only $94.97 (regularly $179).