Apple to Let iPhone Users Watch Videos on CarPlay Screen While Parked

[MacRumors]

Apple this week announced that iPhone users will soon be able to watch videos right on the CarPlay screen in supported vehicles.

iPhone users will be able to wirelessly stream videos to the CarPlay screen using AirPlay, according to Apple. For safety reasons, video playback will only be available when the vehicle is parked, to prevent distracted driving. The connected iPhone will be able to detect when the vehicle is in motion and end playback.

Apple says that automakers need to add support for CarPlay with AirPlay video, so it will likely take some time to roll out. It appears that the AirPlay functionality will be available for both regular CarPlay and the higher-end CarPlay Ultra, but it is unclear if it will be enabled in any existing vehicles, or if it will be limited to new vehicles.

From the CarPlay page on Apple's developer website:

Video in the car

AirPlay video in the car enables people to watch their favorite videos from iPhone right on their CarPlay display when they aren't driving. Integrate support for CarPlay with AirPlay video to enable this feature in your car.

This feature would be especially beneficial in electric vehicles with CarPlay, as it would provide the driver and any passengers with entertainment while they are parked at a charging station. Some electric vehicles already offer this capability natively. Tesla, for example, has long offered a Theater app that can play videos from apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Twitch on the dashboard screen, while the vehicle is parked.

Apple has not shared any further details or images for AirPlay video in the car. Availability of the feature might vary by country based on safety regulations.

There were already some unapproved ways to watch videos through CarPlay, with various jailbreak tweaks and TestFlight beta apps promising to unlock such functionality. Now, it is something that Apple will officially allow.

Article Link: Apple to Let iPhone Users Watch Videos on CarPlay Screen While Parked

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

I'm really pleased overall with the updates to CarPlay, seems like there's way more to it than just widgets and a new UI.

The Music app has been given a pretty big update too I've noticed.

Probably more but I'm paying attention to driving I suppose 😁

 

[Ateam043]

This feature would be especially beneficial in electric vehicles, as it would provide the driver and any passengers with entertainment while they are parked at a charging station. Tesla has long offered a Theater app that can play videos from apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Twitch on the dashboard screen, while the vehicle is parked.

I legit thought this was standard in all EV vehicles. My Polestar P2 has this feature which is cool on that off-day I actually need a fast charger. I could've sworn Audi also allows this.

 

[victorvictoria]

News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling devices to allow watching CarPlay videos while transmission is in drive! Yay!

 

[darngooddesign]

News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling devices to allow watching CarPlay videos while transmission is in drive! Yay!

Perfect for causing accidents.

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling devices to allow watching CarPlay videos while transmission is in drive! Yay!

Wouldn't be surprised if the phone detects movement via gyroscope / accelerometer instead, and blocks it that way.

 

[alexandr]

That's awesome. I have coded the ability to watch movies off a flash drive, but this will be much better!

 

[happy2000hk]

Perfect for draining your car battery and then be stuck in the middle of the road. Classic example of
a solution in search of a problem.

 

[Dr McKay]

News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling devices to allow watching CarPlay videos while transmission is in drive! Yay!

Vendors have always sold things for your car that will land you a hefty fine/sentence. I could go there now and order a set of flashing blue lights for my car right now if I was stupid enough to.

Even if it’s not illegal to have video content in view of the driver where you live, if someone is dumb enough to watch videos on their car screen while driving, they were probably dumb enough to do similar with the phone beforehand 🤷

 

[turbineseaplane]

I do this now.

Granted it does require a jailbroken phone

 

[HouseLannister]

There's not enough bandwidth on current system to wireless CarPlay audio without the occasional stutter. I do not think it will keep up with video.

 

[HighwaySnowman]

Perfect for draining your car battery and then be stuck in the middle of the road. Classic example of
a solution in search of a problem.

Meh. Do you have any idea how many weeks of video playback it would take to drain an EV battery?

Even my plug-in hybrid would take days. Non-issue.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

Meh. Do you have any idea how many weeks of video playback it would take to drain an EV battery?

Even my plug-in hybrid would take days. Non-issue.

It would take a few days to drain a standard car's battery.

 

[tafmasterpl]

Is there any way to display text message via carplay i mean displaying text message, not reading it by useless (in my country) Siri?

I’m living in Poland so there is no Siri available in our language, therefore the text read by siri sounds like abnormal gibberish, i know it is ultra dangerous to look for a split second on the car display literally the same as you would look at maps displayed which is not ultra dangerous at all, as reading small simple reply for very important message that you sent few minutes before taking a trip could be dangerous, but it would be really useful to have some way to display them while driving even via jailbreak or external app or some way, the only way im using right now is looking at apple watch which takes some time and is not comfortable.

 

[Hajj.david]

My old truck I installed an iPad with cellular. Was great for road trips I'd have shows/movies playing allowing me to drive for like 16-18 hrs without getting tired because it helped keep me focused on the story.

 

[Rychiar]

as if car manufacturers do anything at all for existing cars once they're sold lol. My CarPlay was unusable in IOS10 and it took a year and an update from apple to fix it. Honda wouldn't do ****

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Perfect for causing accidents.

So are bad drivers.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

It would take a few days to drain a standard car's battery.

And that’s only if the person REALLY enjoys the current climate and doesn’t want to be warmer/cooler. Otherwise, they’re going to be turning on the engine for climate control and charging the battery as they do. Even MORE days.

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Perfect for draining your car battery and then be stuck in the middle of the road. Classic example of
a solution in search of a problem.

Does your car not have an alternator?

 

[Zorn]

If it requires action from the automaker then it's effectively limited to new models only. Car manufacturers very very rarely ever add such features to existing systems.

 

[breenmask]

Tesla is still way ahead of Apple in terms of features and usability.

 

[darngooddesign]

So are bad drivers.

People watching videos while driving are bad drivers.

 

[klasma]

Wouldn't be surprised if the phone detects movement via gyroscope / accelerometer instead, and blocks it that way.

News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling inertial damping systems to allow watching StarshipPlay videos while warp drive is engaged! Yay!

 

[Unggoy Murderer]

Meh. Do you have any idea how many weeks of video playback it would take to drain an EV battery?

Even my plug-in hybrid would take days. Non-issue.

I don't even have an EV and I ran a CarPlay session on battery for 45 minutes with zero problems. Doesn't take a lot to power a screen and some background bits.

 

[spazzcat]

News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling devices to allow watching CarPlay videos while transmission is in drive! Yay!

Which is illegal in most states.