Next month, your iPhone won’t just get new features, CarPlay will also be expanded in iOS 18. These features are coming!
New features for CarPlay
Apple already presented iOS 18 in June, but the update will not be released until next month. That is when Apple will also announce the new iPhones and Apple Watches of 2024. Not long after that, major updates such as iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia will be released. With iOS 18, not only important changes will come to the iPhone, CarPlay will also be expanded with new functions.
The operating system is getting a number of useful features. From iOS 18, CarPlay has support for contact photos in the overview of the Messages app. You can also turn silent mode on or off via CarPlay when your iPhone is connected. In that case, you will only receive messages on the CarPlay screen, on your Apple Watch and iPhone the notification remains hidden. These are not the only changes that Apple is making to CarPlay.
More design adjustments
With iOS 18, Apple introduces a new button in the sidebar of CarPlay. The button takes you back to your previous action, for example the app you last used. This should make it easier to switch between applications while driving. Other changes include a new design for notifications and a modified animation when Siri is activated in CarPlay.
As a user, you will have a little more freedom in setting up CarPlay from iOS 18, because Apple adds more backgrounds. You will have more choice in selecting a background via the settings of the operating system. Unfortunately, you are limited to the standard images that Apple adds, it is still not possible to choose your own images. That is probably a deliberate choice by Apple, so that the background does not distract too much while driving.
Hands on the Wheel with iOS 18
With iOS 18, CarPlay finally gets support for voice control. It is then possible to open and operate apps via voice commands. So you no longer have to tap the screen to navigate through CarPlay, but can remain focused on the road. Another useful function is sound recognition, with which CarPlay registers ambient noise. You will then receive a notification on the screen if, for example, a siren is detected nearby.
Apple is also making some minor improvements to CarPlay with iOS 18. You can adjust the colors of the screen, making the operating system more accessible for people who are colorblind. You can also make text bolder and larger, to improve the readability of CarPlay. We will have to wait for CarPlay 2.0 for the big changes. Read more about the next generation of CarPlay here!
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