iOS 27: 8+ New CarPlay Features

[MacRumors]

With iOS 27, Apple is introducing several CarPlay features that will improve your in-car experience, both when you're driving and when you're idle in the car. From new video experiences to Siri AI, there are multiple new options to look forward to.

Video Apps

CarPlay apps can incorporate video browsing capabilities, so you can browse for and watch videos on your in-car display while parked. The video playback feature does not work when a car is in motion for safety reasons, but if you're watching something and shift into drive, playback will switch to audio only.

iPhone apps that support AirPlay can also stream content to the car's display.

Video apps require car manufacturers to enable support on the vehicle, and no automakers have announced plans to add support as of now.

Siri AI

Apple's smarter, more capable version of Siri can be used in the car for hands-free conversations. Siri AI for CarPlay works like Siri AI on other devices, so you can ask it to complete tasks or find information for you while you drive.

Conversations in CarPlay sync to the Siri app on iPhone so you can pick them up later.

Audio

There is a persistent mini-player for the Now Playing CarPlay template. The player shows artwork and playback controls in the top right corner of audio and media apps.

The Now Playing interface in CarPlay also has a progress bar, so you can jump to a specific spot in a song, podcast, or audiobook.

Wallpapers

CarPlay includes the new iOS 27 wallpapers, formatted for the CarPlay interface. The wallpapers have wave-style designs in a range of colors, with 14 total wallpaper options available.

CarPlay in iOS 27 also supports larger, more interactive content thumbnails and it incorporates the updated Liquid Glass icons for apps like Maps and Weather.

Route Data

Navigation apps like Apple Maps and Google Maps can share route data with a vehicle for incorporating information like EV charging stops. The car is able to check a map route against the range of the vehicle, and suggest a charging stop.

Reliability and Location Accuracy

Apple says that wireless CarPlay is more reliable in iOS 27, plus it supports improved GPS location accuracy and navigation heading detection.

Voice Control

All app categories are also now able to offer a voice control option, and Apple has designed a voice control template that can be integrated into apps for voice conversations.

Natural Language Improvements

In Apple Maps, Apple extended natural language search to navigation, and that also works with CarPlay. You can ask Siri for directions that avoid toll roads, highways, and more.

Compatibility

Using the new CarPlay features in iOS 27 requires a connected iPhone with iOS 27 installed. For Siri AI, you'll need an iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence, which includes the iPhone 15 Pro and later.

Article Link: iOS 27: 8+ New CarPlay Features

 

[Justin Cymbal]

Awesome new features added to CarPlay! 👏👌😎

It would be nice if Apple created their own wireless adapter to retrofit older cars to be able to use wireless CarPlay instead of requiring users to purchase third-party hardware from unreliable Chinese companies:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254194087?sortBy=rank

 

[DeanCorp]

Awesome new features added to CarPlay! 👏👌😎

It would be nice if Apple created their own wireless adapter to retrofit older cars to be able to use wireless CarPlay instead of requiring users to purchase third-party hardware from unreliable Chinese companies:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254194087?sortBy=rank

As a company that has sold over 2500 CarPlay adapters in the past few years it is not a good idea. iOS software updates break connectivity and then have a whole bunch of customers who didn’t have any issues with the adapter flood your inbox with unable to connect or constant dropouts demanding refunds all because an iOS update broke connectivity.

 

[JonneyGee]

I just want the progress bar back for audio on the Home Screen. They took it away at some point in iOS 26 (26.2, I think?). Please tell me it’s back!

 

[MacWanker]

I just want messages back in carplay. The messages app completely disappears from carplay when the phone is set to require faceID/touchID to access messages (a feature I am not turning off), and you can't even access them and have them read and reply to via voice control/siri as it just vanishes totally. Same with spotify and other apps if you have that security setting turned on.

 

[marte91]

As a company that has sold over 2500 CarPlay adapters in the past few years it is not a good idea. iOS software updates break connectivity and then have a whole bunch of customers who didn’t have any issues with the adapter flood your inbox with unable to connect or constant dropouts demanding refunds all because an iOS update broke connectivity.

this happens because most of those adapters are not officially supported devices, if Apple creates an officially supported device these kinds of problems will not happen.

 

[Spock]

As a company that has sold over 2500 CarPlay adapters in the past few years it is not a good idea. iOS software updates break connectivity and then have a whole bunch of customers who didn’t have any issues with the adapter flood your inbox with unable to connect or constant dropouts demanding refunds all because an iOS update broke connectivity.

Yeah, that would not be an issue if Apple was making the dongle.

 

[mansplains]

I just want messages back in carplay. The messages app completely disappears from carplay when the phone is set to require faceID/touchID to access messages (a feature I am not turning off), and you can't even access them and have them read and reply to via voice control/siri as it just vanishes totally. Same with spotify and other apps if you have that security setting turned on.

Which do you want, security or convenience?

 

[cinegeek]

Still no pinch-to-zoom...