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.
Liquid Glass Design
When you are using CarPlay with an iPhone running iOS 26, the new Liquid Glass design extends to the CarPlay interface. Like on the iPhone, the new look includes more shimmery app icons and translucent user interface elements.
New Messages App Features
Starting with iOS 26, you can respond to messages with standard Tapbacks like a heart, thumbs up, or exclamation marks directly through CarPlay.
Plus, you can now view your pinned conversations in the Messages app on CarPlay.
Compact View for Phone Calls
CarPlay has a new compact view for incoming phone calls, so that you can still see other information on the screen, such as turn-by-turn directions.
Live Activities
CarPlay's Dashboard screen can now show Live Activities, letting you keep track of things like a flight's arrival time at a glance.
Widgets
The regular version of CarPlay now has a customizable widgets screen, for things like calendar appointments and HomeKit accessory controls.
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) starts today with the traditional keynote kicking things off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors is on hand for the event and we'll be sharing details and our thoughts throughout the day.
We're expecting to see a number of software-related announcements led by a design revamp across Apple's platforms that will also see the numbering of all of...
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 a complete redesign of all of its major software platforms called "Liquid Glass."
Announced simultaneously for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, visionOS, and CarPlay, Liquid Glass forms a new universal design language for the first time. At its WWDC 2025 keynote address, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi said "Apple Silicon has become dramatically more powerful...
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...
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...
Apple at WWDC announced iOS 26, introducing a comprehensive visual redesign built around its new "Liquid Glass" concept, alongside expanded Apple Intelligence capabilities, updates to core communication apps, and more.
Liquid Glass is a translucent material that reflects and refracts surroundings to create dynamic, responsive interface elements, according to Apple. The new design language...
Funny how the only one of the five that means anything to me is the minimalized incoming call notification. The rest? Who cares. Widgets? Live activities? No. What WOULD have been awesome is parity across all vehicles. Taking 5-10 minutes every time I get into a new rental car to redo all the carplay settings is such an unnecessary chore. Why can't it just pull my preferences and load a familiar layout right from the start? It's my phone, which means it's still me, and I want my layout whether I'm driving my F-150 at home, a Honda Civic in LA or a CX-5 in Boise. At least give us a toggle for "keep personal preferences across all vehicles," Apple. It's not hard.
I love all the new ways drivers can distract themselves from the important task at hand of keeping their car on the road and not hitting another car, person, bicyclist, etc.
Don't get me wrong - I love carplay and it offers a load of benefits. But the more opportunities for interaction the more it contributes to safety hazards.
