Apple’s CarPlay Gets A New Look And Smart Widgets To Simplify Driving

Apple has used their Worldwide Developers Conference to introduce  iOS 26. Billed as a “major update that brings a beautiful new design, intelligent experiences, and improvements to the apps users rely on every day,” the release includes a handful of tweaks to CarPlay.

The tech giant said CarPlay is used over 600 million times per day and users will find a more attractive interface that promises to be even easier to use. Apple didn’t go into many specifics, but noted CarPlay features a new Liquid Glass design for a more consistent and expressive experience.

More: Apple CarPlay Ultra Is Finally Here To Take Over Every Screen In Your Car

There are also a number of smart updates including a new compact view for incoming calls. Apple says this will enable users to see who’s calling without that information blocking upcoming turns or directions.

Another useful change is the introduction of widgets. The company didn’t say much about them, but widgets appear to include virtual buttons for connected devices such as garage doors and lights inside your home. People will also be able to see their Live Activities with a quick glance.

The latest version of CarPlay also has some updates related to Messages. In particular, people can pin conversations and easily reply to messages with Tapbacks. The latter enables users to give friends a quick thumbs up or thumbs down.

The aforementioned updates will also be coming to CarPlay Ultra, which recently launched in Aston Martin vehicles. It will eventually come to other brands including cars from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis.

Besides the updates to CarPlay, Apple announced a handful of tweaks to Maps. This includes an encrypted Visited Places section, which can remember where you’ve been. The company also said iPhones can now use “on-device intelligence to better understand a user’s daily route, presenting them with their preferred route when they’re headed home or to the office, along with notifying them of delays and offering alternate routes.”