Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

[Rygaard]

And yet still there is still only 3 apps on the left hand side, i can see that only 3 will fit on a 7" screen .. we have 15" - there could beasy be 9.

AND i cant even choose what is there.. it just show what it thinks i want.. i ALWAYS want maps, Apple Music .. but uhh no if i listen to an audiobook on my phone, then it removes apple music, so we cant listen to music in the car. STOP PRESUMING you know what i want...

also stop freaking moving my calls, and audio to the CAR or MAC unless i ASK you to.. JFK Apple

 

[AppleTO]

It made sense 8 years ago when built in systems were awful, but not anymore.

Uh, outside of luxury vehicles, built-in infotainment systems still suck. They may look a bit prettier, but offer no additional functionally than 8 years ago. Most don’t have any built in apps, like Apple Music, Google Maps, or Spotify.

 

[AppleTO]

And yet still there is still only 3 apps on the left hand side, i can see that only 3 will fit on a 7" screen .. we have 15" - there could beasy be 9.

AND i cant even choose what is there.. it just show what it thinks i want.. i ALWAYS want maps, Apple Music .. but uhh no if i listen to an audiobook on my phone, then it removes apple music, so we cant listen to music in the car. STOP PRESUMING you know what i want...

also stop freaking moving my calls, and audio to the CAR or MAC unless i ASK you to.. JFK Apple

Yeah I hate this too. Why isn’t it just a dock that we can pin apps to?

 

[leifp]

What makes this revolutionary is that it allows for the manufacturer to define the look and feel and whether there will be physical buttons to interact with the system. What makes it revolutionary for the user is the customizability that has ever been a part of bling but never part of a vehicle, i.e. you could go aftermarket on the stereo, the wheels, etc but not really the display cluster or the HVAC system, etc. And since driving a smartphone with wheels is a no-go for me, I look forward less with trepidation than with hope.

 

[subjonas]

Chinese smartphone makers that also make EVs use two finger touch on the screens to adjust settings, two finger swipe up and down for volume, horizontal swipe for heat

This is still worse than physical controls. You can turn click dials for temperature or fan speed and know exactly what position they’re in, and you can do it faster, more accurately, and all without looking. With touch gestures you have less precision and you have to look to see where to stop.

 

[DELLsFan]

Hoping to get another 5 years out of my 2011 Prius, so by then maybe I can get this in a Hyundai or Kia hybrid.

I also own a 2011 Prius. A few quirks, but not replacing it until maybe the rumored 'less expensive' Teslas are finally released this year.

Though lately - Tesla has a disturbing trend of over-promising and under-delivering AND I hear they don't offer any Car Play. They do their own thing. Never say never ... so we'll see where the Apple Car Play Ultra lands.

 

[lilkwarrior]

glad to see they reversed course and didn't let Carplay Ultra slum it in Porsches, ultimately.

When was that announced? Porsche was originally onboard to my delight: I’m hoping to use Carplay Ultra on a 2026+ Porsche Teycan and eventually hopefully an all EV Porsche 911.

Somewhat a deal breaker without that at lear and Android Auto support.

The native system since last year was dated but I haven’t gone back to Porsche Dealership to check out their 2026 upgrade yet.

Will soon when my significant other gets their Mecan serviced

 

[CrysisDeu]

Chinese smartphone makers that also make EVs use two finger touch on the screens to adjust settings, two finger swipe up and down for volume, horizontal swipe for heat

And voice control as well, physical buttons are overrated

 

[CrysisDeu]

This is still worse than physical controls. You can turn click dials for temperature or fan speed and know exactly what position they’re in, and you can do it faster, more accurately, and all without looking. With touch gestures you have less precision and you have to look to see where to stop.

Try a really good voice control system, buttons are a hassle to locate and use.

On a side note:
Why do you need to see the fan speed? You should be able to feel it
And the temperatures should always be kept the same for a driver. If you need to adjust the temperature in different conditions, maybe the car should be smarter to know how to reach the desired temperature automatically faster

I’ve been treating cars like homes more. I don’t adjust my HVAC temperatures constantly. If anything, I set up schedules

 

[subjonas]

Try a really good voice control system, buttons are a hassle to locate and use.

On a side note:
Why do you need to see the fan speed? You should be able to feel it
And the temperatures should always be kept the same for a driver. If you need to adjust the temperature in different conditions, maybe the car should be smarter to know how to reach the desired temperature automatically faster

I’ve been treating cars like homes more. I don’t adjust my HVAC temperatures constantly. If anything, I set up schedules

Not all cars have great voice/automatic climate control—far from it. But even for those that do, there are always miscellaneous situations where voice and automation aren’t the most practical or desirable.

 

[LordArchie]

Anxious to see what CarPlay changes come in iOS19.. tiles would be a nice addition

 

[ikramerica]

Whomever did the mockups I think doesn't quite know cars well enough. For the tire gauge example, 41 psi front and 45 psi rear is a recipe for disaster in nearly every car or SUV. (rears should never be that much higher unless maybe you're towing something, and most cars/trucks are normally around 32-36 psi).

Maybe in the olden days. Both of our cars are 41 psi all around.

It has to do with GVW and tire load rating. Small cars may be 32-36 but most modern larger cars need more because they are so heavy.

 

[ikramerica]

Model Y #1 car in 2023 and 2024. Sorry, but facts play in my favor.

2025 Y has a front light bar like the Truck. I asked sales guy why there was no HUD for speedometer like many other electric cars with dominant center consoles and he said “another thing to break” which is a lame answer for a tech focused car.

Any car that makes me look to the center to drive is a car I don’t want.

 

[Howard2k]

Apple CarPlay Ultra is basically a hijack attempt on Apple's part and no sane mainstream automaker is going to allow this. It practically rebrands the entire car, looks out of place (the fonts in the speedometer look awful in an Aston Martin) and I predict it will die quietly and quickly.

You should read the article. Car manufacturers have themes.

 

[cyb3rdud3]

Whomever did the mockups I think doesn't quite know cars well enough. For the tire gauge example, 41 psi front and 45 psi rear is a recipe for disaster in nearly every car or SUV. (rears should never be that much higher unless maybe you're towing something, and most cars/trucks are normally around 32-36 psi).

LOL We aren't talking about some slow American pickup truck here. It is entirely normal on modern western non-usa performance cars that can corner. 🤣🤷‍♂️

 

[CrysisDeu]

Not all cars have great voice/automatic climate control—far from it. But even for those that do, there are always miscellaneous situations where voice and automation aren’t the most practical or desirable.

yeah but why don’t just buy the ones with the better system though

 

[germanbeer007]

2025 Y has a front light bar like the Truck. I asked sales guy why there was no HUD for speedometer like many other electric cars with dominant center consoles and he said “another thing to break” which is a lame answer for a tech focused car.

Any car that makes me look to the center to drive is a car I don’t want.

I got over that in about a week.

 

[shenfrey]

I’m guessing you’re in the US. Thankfully, in rest of the world, that prediction above is so far from the truth to be laughable.

Clearly you’ve never been to Norway or the UK

 

[EugW]

Going from a reliable brand like Toyota to a 💩 brand like Kia/Hyundai to get CarPlay would not be recommended

My 2025 Toyota Camry has full Wireless CarPlay support. Mind you, it is the first Camry to support this. Previous models supported only wired CarPlay. And yes that factored into my decision not to get a used older model Camry. Basically any car without Wireless CarPlay was off the table.

I suspect Toyota will never get CarPlay Ultra though, and I would agree with that choice.

 

[russell_314]

My 2025 Toyota Camry has full Wireless CarPlay support. Mind you, it is the first Camry to support this. Previous models supported only wired CarPlay. And yes that factored into my decision not to get a used older model Camry. Basically any car without Wireless CarPlay was off the table.

I suspect Toyota will never get CarPlay Ultra though, and I would agree with that choice.

Toyota Camry is a good choice and a quality car so you’re not compromising anything. I was just saying I wouldn’t pick a car that was significantly less reliable just to get CarPlay. If I have to pick between two similarity featured and reliable cars the one with CarPlay will always be my choice.

Of course that’s just my preference. Some people buy Range Rovers 😂

 

[KRG]

Uh, outside of luxury vehicles, built-in infotainment systems still suck. They may look a bit prettier, but offer no additional functionally than 8 years ago. Most don’t have any built in apps, like Apple Music, Google Maps, or Spotify.

True, valid point when it comes to basic cars. But anyone buying a high end vehicle wanting their dash to look like an iPhone or they won’t purchase needs to re-evaluate their thought process and be a bit more open minded to something different.

 

[KRG]

LOL We aren't talking about some slow American pickup truck here. It is entirely normal on modern western non-usa performance cars that can corner. 🤣🤷‍♂️

My American pickup truck would prob smoke whatever you drive. It’s also much less problematic than the British built Range Rover I had previously that was in the shop for months at a time. Try not to generalize and throw shade for no reason.

 

[Veinticinco]

Clearly you’ve never been to Norway or the UK

Lived in both. I think you’re confusing your own anecdotal sightings with the harsh reality of sales figures.

Even with Norway’s generous EV incentives, you’re a good 2 maybe 3 years out of date, as new Tesla sales across all European markets are significantly down on what they once were. A trend long before the CEO became toxic, as both new and established competitors have caught up, and in many ways, surpassed them.

Any perceived “cachet” they once had (which also helped them gain a foothold in Norway) has also disappeared whilst their reputation for boring design and awful build quality, has persisted. In certain European markets like Germany, Tesla is finished. Their only potentially lasting legacy will be their charging network as that remains fragmented across the continent. As a car company over here, they are circling the drain.

 

[KRG]

Lived in both. I think you’re confusing your own anecdotal sightings with the harsh reality of sales figures.

Even with Norway’s generous EV incentives, you’re a good 2 maybe 3 years out of date, as new Tesla sales across all European markets are significantly down on what they once were. A trend long before the CEO became toxic, as both new and established competitors have caught up, and in many ways, surpassed them.

Any perceived “cachet” they once had (which also helped them gain a foothold in Norway) has also disappeared whilst their reputation for boring design and awful build quality, has persisted. In certain European markets like Germany, Tesla is finished. Their only potentially lasting legacy will be their charging network as that remains fragmented across the continent. As a car company over here, they are circling the drain.

I’m curious what people are buying instead. In the US, the Model 3 and Y are extremely attainable at this point. If I were looking for a mass market affordable EV I don’t know that anything beats them still. They’re not the best by any means, but at their price point I still think they are. Obviously we don’t have Chinese EVs here, so maybe that’s making all the difference across Europe.