Apple CarPlay getting a useful new feature update in just a matter of weeks

There's going to be a number of changes coming to Apple CarPlay with the arrival of iOS 26, as long as your iPhone is compatible. The headlines were stolen by CarPlay Ultra – the experience that takes over all the screens in your car – but there's another interesting feature coming to those who won't get CarPlay Ultra.

You could get this feature in just a few weeks too, because Apple previously confirmed that the iOS 26 public beta would land in July – with reputable leaker Mark Gurman suggesting it could be available "around" 23 July. That's when you'll be able to update your phone (accepting the normal precaution with beta software) and experience the new features of Apple CarPlay.

One of the useful new additions will be widgets. Widgets are now everywhere on Apple devices, having appeared on the iPhone with iOS 14 in 2020. Now they're coming to your car, as detailed by 9to5Mac.

While widgets in CarPlay were first shown off as part of CarPlay Ultra (or CarPlay 2 as it was being called), it looks like everyone will benefit from them. You'll be able to enable the option within the Settings on your iPhone and it allows you to have widgets from your phone, not just from CarPlay apps.

You'll then be able to have one or two stacks of widgets, so you'll have access to glanceable information about all manner of things. That might be weather, reminders or smart home information, for example.

You'll be able to control the layout of the widgets and customise them, so they should be a useful addition to CarPlay.

CarPlay features in iOS 26

Beyond widgets – and CarPlay Ultra (which will need car manufacturer support) – you'll also be able to change the background. In addition, the new Liquid Glass visuals from iOS 26 will also flow into CarPlay. There's more customisation for app icons too.

There's a new compact view for incoming calls, as well as Live Activities, so you can keep track of things like sport scores or flights without being too distracted from the road. Live Activities will appear in the split view of CarPlay and sit in one corner of the screen.

Mapping now has more intelligence, so should be able to warn you about delays, even if you haven't set a route. It will reportedly alert you simply based on the direction you're heading in.

And when you're stopped, you'll also be able to play video, which could make those charging breaks more enjoyable.

As I said, this could all be available with the iOS 26 beta in the coming weeks.