CarPlay just got a big upgrade, and iOS 26.4 delivers even more

Source: 9to5Mac

The last year has been an exciting one for CarPlay, with CarPlay Ultra launching and iOS 26 bringing some of the biggest CarPlay changes in years. Now iOS 26.4 is set to continue this positive trend, showing that CarPlay’s best days may be ahead.

CarPlay gets big new features in iOS 26.4, continuing a recent trend

CarPlay has been beloved by consumers for a long time, as driver surveys consistently show.

But until recently, Apple seemed content to let CarPlay stagnate.

After announcing the “next generation of CarPlay” in 2022, ‘regular’ CarPlay received little attention from Apple.

In the last year though, things have finally changed in a big way.

CarPlay Ultra launched and was followed by iOS 26, a huge update for existing CarPlay users thanks to widgets, Live Activities, a Liquid Glass design, and more.

Now iOS 26.4 is coming, and its beta reveals two more big upgrades in the works:

• support for playing videos when parked
• third‑party AI chatbot apps

These are major new features, and Apple is rolling them out in a point update to iOS just a few months after iOS 26 brought its own big changes.

Have Apple’s CarPlay priorities shifted? It certainly seems so. And I suspect a few different things are behind that.

Why CarPlay may be getting more updates again

If I were to guess why CarPlay is suddenly a bigger priority for Apple after years of neglect, my answer has two parts.

First, Apple had a couple car‑related distractions that only recently cleared up.

• Project Titan – Apple’s decade‑long effort to build an electric car, which was finally canceled in early 2024. That cancellation likely changed Apple’s priorities regarding CarPlay.
• CarPlay Ultra – Spent years in development, launching in 2025 after being unveiled in 2022.

Based on Apple’s original pitch, this “next generation of CarPlay” seemed intended to replace the existing platform. Instead, due to automaker resistance, it arrived as a niche, high‑end separate feature.

Beyond these distractions, there are other reasons CarPlay is now getting more attention, involving potential threats to both CarPlay and the iPhone.

Automakers that once praised CarPlay have started pivoting toward building their own infotainment solutions. At the same time, technology innovations like AI are posing a fresh threat to the iPhone’s dominance in users’ lives.

By investing in CarPlay, Apple can help prevent more automakers from dropping support and also strengthen the overall Apple ecosystem with the iPhone at its center.

With distractions out of the way and fresh motivators for making CarPlay better than ever, I’m hopeful that CarPlay’s recent improvements aren’t just a fluke.

Why do you think Apple has refocused on CarPlay? Let us know in the comments.