Apple comes with a large carplay update in iOS 26 and one of the many improvements that come to CarPlay is the best function of the iPhone.
The best function of the iPhone comes to CarPlay
In iOS 26 all kinds of new functions are coming to CarPlay. One of them is a function that we have known for a long time from the iPhone and that we would have liked to see on CarPlay much earlier: live activities.
Live activities first appeared on the iPhone three years ago, when it Dynamic Island The iPhone 14 Pro was introduced. Since then, Apple has only improved the function and expanded to more apps and system functions. Last year Watchos already brought live activities to the Apple Watch. Soon MacOS Tahoe and iPados 26 will also introduce live activities on the Mac and iPad.
Live activities on CarPlay
CarPlay is another new platform that benefits from the recent expansion of live activities. When you use iOS 26, all live activities that are performed on your iPhone are also displayed via CarPlay. That looks like this:
Live activities is a handy function on your iPhone, but certainly also in CarPlay. The image above is a good example: if you pick up someone from the airport, you can view the latest information about the status of the flight through live activities. Other good examples of live activities are:
- Following your (pizza) order while you are on your way home.
- Viewing the weather forecast when a storm is coming.
- Viewing the charging progress of your electric car.
iOS 26 has a switch to disable live activities in CarPlay if you prefer not to see them. But for many people, the availability of live activities in the car will be a welcome addition.
iOS 26 will be available in September
Apple releases iOS 26 for the general public in September, after the release of the iPhone 17. It is expected that iOS 26 Monday, September 15, 2025 is available for all users, provided that the iPhone has support for the update. Read here which iPhones can update to iOS 26!
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