Six Popular iPhone Apps Now Available on CarPlay

[MacRumors]

Apple's CarPlay system for accessing iPhone apps on a vehicle's dashboard screen has received six popular apps in recent weeks: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Grok, Google Meet, WhatsApp, and the indie artist streaming platform Audiomack.

Make sure you have the latest version of each app and they will automatically appear on CarPlay.

ChatGPT

Starting with iOS 26.4, CarPlay supports voice-based conversational apps. This means that chatbots can extend their iPhone apps to CarPlay for voice-based conversations, and OpenAI's ChatGPT is one of the first options available.

With the ChatGPT app on CarPlay, you can have voice conversations with ChatGPT while the app is open, and view the titles of your past conversations. For safety reasons, the app does not show the text or images within conversations.

Other chatbots that recently came to CarPlay include Perplexity and Grok.

Google Meet

Google Meet is now available on CarPlay as well, allowing you to join meetings with a single tap, view your upcoming schedule, and participate in audio calls. For safety reasons, you cannot view video calls on the CarPlay interface.

WhatsApp

A revamped WhatsApp app for CarPlay is now available.

WhatsApp already supported CarPlay, but the original app provided limited Siri-based functionality. The revamped app displays lists of recent chats and phone calls, and there is also a tab that displays a list of your favorite contacts.

Audiomack

Audiomack recently expanded to CarPlay. The 8th-most downloaded app in the App Store's Music category in the U.S. lets you stream and download songs, with a focus on independent artists and especially the Afrobeats and hip-hop genres.

Audiomack's CarPlay app has Discover, Charts, Playlists, and My Library tabs, allowing you to listen to your existing songs and discover new ones.

Article Link: Six Popular iPhone Apps Now Available on CarPlay

 

[pdaholic]

After driving the same car for 21 years (that had no Bluetooth!), I finally got a new car with CarPlay. I found I can put mp3s in VLC, and it will show up on CarPlay. Really awesome!

 

[CapitalIdea]

Tried using the perplexity app. It was acting nuts, reading two answers simultaneously and wouldn’t let go of control of my audio system after “disconnecting.” I had to unplug the phone for it to allow me to change back to my podcast.

 

[cybercommand]

Nothing exciting until I can play video.

 

[minik]

Speaking of which, I wish Apple offers the Music app over on Android Auto.

 

[turbineseaplane]

All I want out of CarPlay right now is the ability to pin my desired apps to the dock.

 

[Kar98]

After driving the same car for 21 years (that had no Bluetooth!), I finally got a new car with CarPlay. I found I can put mp3s in VLC, and it will show up on CarPlay. Really awesome!

Put your mp3s on a plex server, put Plexamp on your phone and you can stream the music you own to the phone you own without having to pay Apple Music for the privilege.

 

[Corefile]

I can copy music flac file to a USB stick and plug it in and forget. No need for Android AutoPlay from Apple as you can directly play the FLAC files from the list on the screen.

 

[everlast3434]

Love the Google Meet. More clients will be able to take meetings, with no video or context, from their cars and not pay attention. Lol.

 

[jsavvy]

Love the Google Meet. More clients will be able to take meetings, with no video or context, from their cars and not pay attention. Lol.

I especially like the road noise! Puts me right to sleep!

 

[seanmcbay]

ChatGPT already makes people braindead enough, now we gotta deal with them driving. Great!

 

[pdaholic]

Put your mp3s on a plex server, put Plexamp on your phone and you can stream the music you own to the phone you own without having to pay Apple Music for the privilege.

Thanks, but I have all my MP3s in Dropbox. I don’t pay for Apple Music (not sure how you got that from my original post) and load them into VLC for playback in CarPlay. I could stream directly from Dropbox on my phone into the car, but I like the VLC setup.

 

[actcyclist]

I had Grok analysing draft bills and budget papers whilst driving. It’s strange coming from Siri to something that can actually look up a document and answer questions.

 

[Kottu]

What am I supposed to do with AI chat bots in my car?

 

[Kar98]

Thanks, but I have all my MP3s in Dropbox. I don’t pay for Apple Music (not sure how you got that from my original post) and load them into VLC for playback in CarPlay. I could stream directly from Dropbox on my phone into the car, but I like the VLC setup.

I meant in general, not you specifically.
Your setup is neat, too.
Whichever way there is to stem the tide of ******tification and “you will own nothing and you’ll like it”

 

[Kar98]

What am I supposed to do with AI chat bots in my car?

Honestly I’d settle for a Siri that’s not brain dead.

 

[verpeiler]

WhatsApp in Carplay still can't play audio messages...

 

[pdaholic]

I meant in general, not you specifically.
Your setup is neat, too.
Whichever way there is to stem the tide of ******tification and “you will own nothing and you’ll like it”

Wholeheartedly agree. I have every cd I've ever owned ripped to mp3 and don't feel the need to acquire new music, so I have no desire to pay for any of these services.

I did check out plexserver. Very interesting. I have been considering setting up a home server but Dropbox and Google drive make it so easy!

 

[TVreporter]

WhatsApp in Carplay still can't play audio messages...

Have same issue - it won’t read the messages and says there’s something wrong.

 

[ReallyRandy]

Honestly I’d settle for a Siri that’s not brain dead.

I think they call it Apple Intelligence because it has The intelligence of an Apple… the fruit not the computer

 

[Kar98]

Have same issue - it won’t read the messages and says there’s something wrong.

That’s odd. When I was still using WhatsApp, CarPlay did read messages out loud to me. Even switched voice languages when it detected a language other than system default.

 

[QuarterSwede]

There’s a lot of snarky comments in here about AI that is short sighted. A lot of driving around is routine. I don’t know about you, but that’s when I’m thinking all kinds of things, and come up with a bunch of questions. I’d rather ask a decently competent AI a question and get a decent answer vs use Siri and get “you need to use Safari” crap answers.

And the snark about Google Meet in vehicles? That’s just ignorance. A lot of people have road warrior jobs and take a lot of meetings on the road. At least this makes it safer. “You should pull over” simply isn’t realistic. They’d never get anywhere.

 

[Tagbert]

All I want out of CarPlay right now is the ability to pin my desired apps to the dock.

You can’t do that but you can manually arrange the app icons so your preferred apps are first on the main list.

 

[leicaman]

Not coming to the screen of my Rivian R2.

 

[svish]

Though I don't think I will use AI apps using CarPlay, it is good to have option and the ability to use it for those who prefer using it through CarPlay.