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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\u2019s best days may be ahead.<\/p>\n
CarPlay gets big new features in iOS 26.4, continuing a recent trend<\/p>\n
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CarPlay has been beloved by consumers for a long time, as driver surveys consistently show<\/a>.<\/p>\n But until recently, Apple seemed content to let CarPlay stagnate.<\/p>\n After announcing the \u201cnext generation of CarPlay\u201d in 2022, \u2018regular\u2019 CarPlay received little attention from Apple.<\/p>\n In the last year though, things have finally changed in a big way.<\/p>\n CarPlay Ultra launched<\/a> and was followed by iOS 26, a huge update<\/a> for existing CarPlay users thanks to widgets, Live Activities, a Liquid Glass design, and more.<\/p>\n Now iOS 26.4 is coming, and its beta reveals two more big upgrades in the works:<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Have Apple\u2019s CarPlay priorities shifted? It certainly seems so. And I suspect a few different things are behind that.<\/p>\n Why CarPlay may be getting more updates again<\/p>\n If I were to guess why CarPlay is suddenly a bigger priority for Apple after years of neglect, my answer has two parts.<\/p>\n First, Apple had a couple car-related distractions that only recently cleared up.<\/p>\n Project Titan<\/p>\n CarPlay Ultra<\/p>\n Project Titan was Apple\u2019s decade-long effort to build an electric car. And it was finally canceled<\/a> in early 2024. That cancellation likely changed Apple\u2019s priorities regarding CarPlay.<\/p>\n And CarPlay Ultra spent years in development too, launching in 2025 after being unveiled in 2022.<\/p>\n Based on Apple\u2019s original pitch, this \u201cnext generation of CarPlay\u201d seems like it was originally intended to replace CarPlay. Instead, due to automaker resistance, it arrived as a niche, high-end separate feature.<\/p>\n Beyond these distractions though, I think there are other reasons CarPlay is now getting more attention. And they involve potential threats to both CarPlay and the iPhone.<\/p>\n Automakers that once praised CarPlay have started pivoting<\/a> toward building their own infotainment solutions. And technology innovations like AI are posing a fresh threat to the iPhone\u2019s dominance in users\u2019 lives.<\/p>\n By investing in CarPlay, Apple can help prevent more automakers from dropping support, and also strengthen the overall Apple ecosystem with iPhone at its center.<\/p>\n With distractions out of the way, and fresh motivators for making CarPlay better than ever, I\u2019m hopeful that CarPlay\u2019s recent improvements aren\u2019t just a fluke.<\/p>\n Why do you think Apple has refocused on CarPlay? Let us know in the comments.<\/p>\n Best iPhone accessories<\/p>\n \t\t FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"CarPlay](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/carplay-ios-26-liquid-glass.jpg\")
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