Apple iPhones with iOS 16 update bring a lot of great features, mostly focused on customizations and increased security. But amid all the buzz, the updates for Apple CarPlay that are coming have gone unnoticed. CarPlay’s updates with iOS 16 aren’t as intensive as those for iPhones, but still make it easier to live connected, on the go.
Apple has improved maps, Siri integration and communication features on the latest version of CarPlay. The aesthetics also get a slight overhaul with new wallpapers and a modified interface for some apps. All of these subtle tweaks come together to deliver a uniquely refreshed experience with Apple CarPlay in supported cars and motorcycles.
Another cool feature for developers is the addition of multiple app categories. This will help developers create an organized and more diverse set of apps to work natively with Apple CarPlay. There is more, but for the future! Apple gave us a glimpse of the future of Apple CarPlay at WWDC22 held in June 2022. Apple showed us how CarPlay can take over as the primary technology interface for all vehicle controls. ‘a car.
In short, the cars of the future will be able to integrate Apple CarPlay as the only technology feature that will support the instrument cluster, infotainment screen, all in-vehicle and external controls, and even sophisticated safety and connectivity features. The future is all about connected technology, and with what Apple showed off at WWDC22, we now have an idea of what to expect with the tech features of Apple’s highly anticipated all-electric car.
Many subtle visual and technological tweaks combine to make Apple CarPlay much more intuitive to use in cars and motorcycles with the iOS 16 update.
iOS 16 brings many subtle updates to Apple CarPlay
All of the new Apple CarPlay features with the latest iOS update are frankly subtle in nature. But that doesn’t diminish the impact it has on the overall user experience. Apple is known to take its time to come up with new features which is why there are fewer bug cases compared to the Android ecosystem. The iOS 16 update for Apple CarPlay is more like ironing out rough patches and refreshing the UI. Some features were long overdue and others have us really excited about the future of Apple CarPlay.
Apple Maps is getting a long-awaited feature
This feature is a classic case of “Android has had it for years”. Nevertheless, Apple has finally added a future “Add Stop” to its Maps. This is a huge relief for people who had to migrate to Google Maps just for this feature. “Add Stop” gives you the ability to pin pit stops during your commute, such as motels and gas stations. Apple Maps would reanalyze and give you a more efficient route based on the location of stops added to the route. Adding or removing a Stop is quite simple and requires no more than three keys.
Siri seems soothing and helps with faster messaging
This is the most subtle update ever and if not for Nick O’ Lear’s YouTube video, we wouldn’t even have paid attention. He points out the slight change to the wake-up music when summoning Siri which happens to be a bit more soothing than the old one. Another new feature is the ability to automatically send messages. This feature is natively disabled and you will need to enable it. Once done, you can dictate a message via Siri and after a few seconds of waiting, the message will be sent directly to the selected contact.
Apple CarPlay interface gets a visual refresh
Next on the “subtle” list is a slight UI refresh. Specifically, Apple has added three new wallpapers, including one in black and white. It doesn’t bring a major change in visual appeal, but it’s always good to have new wallpapers. Unfortunately, we still cannot use custom images as wallpapers. You’re stuck with what Apple provides in stock. Opening this page of using any image as your wallpaper would have been a more exciting change.
A cool new app feature
With the latest Apple CarPlay, the Podcasts app gets a facelift. It now comes with a new “Library” tab, and the whole theme is synonymous with Apple Music software. We believe that Apple plans to streamline all apps that have the same usage scenario. The “Library” tab makes it much easier to find your podcast list.
The future of Apple CarPlay looks exciting
Besides the immediate new features, Apple has planned a very exciting future roadmap for CarPlay. We were able to see a preview of this at WWDC22 where Apple presented its CarPlay software used as the main interface on the dashboard of a car. That means everything from the dashboard to in-car comfort and tech controls will be streamlined via CarPlay.
This process is still a long way off, as car manufacturers have to decide and implement Apple CarPlay in their main system interface. These features would most likely start appearing in all-electric cars (if and when they are approved by automakers) and seem to have a clear affinity for self-driving cars. We have a strong feeling that Apple’s long-awaited electric car would be the first to feature this technology.
Source: Nick O’Leary via YouTube, Apple
