Photo: reddit user checkmarshall
CarPlay hasn’t really been a priority for Apple over the last few years, although the company did bring a handful of new features as part of some updates.
But with the adoption of CarPlay growing at a fast pace, it’s pretty clear that the Cupertino-based tech giant needs to improve this app in a way that would make sense for everyone to rely on their iPhones even when getting behind the wheel.
And the next major update for iPhones will bring lots of new features, some of which have already been announced by the company at the WWDC this week during an iOS 14 demo.
First and foremost, CarPlay will introduce new app categories, which is without a doubt good news for everyone, especially as the number of apps right now is rather limited. Beginning with iOS 14, CarPlay will support parking, EV charging, and food-ordering apps, and Apple says it’s already providing developers with the necessary resources, including templates, to make this happen.
Then, there’s the feature that has already made the headlines earlier this year and which many are already drooling over: wallpaper support. You’ll thus be able to set a custom background for the dashboard and the home screen beginning with this update.
CarPlay will also come with a horizontal status bar that is specifically aimed at cars with portrait screens, thus improving the screen estate and enabling a wider UI for the running apps.
CarPlay users in China and Japan will get new localized keyboards, so searching for specific locations will be much easier.
As far as the hands-free interaction with CarPlay is concerned, there are two major Siri updates on their way. First, you’ll be able to ask Siri to share an ETA with a specific contact using just a voice command, and then, the digital assistant will be able to help you create an audio message or reply to one without any manual input.
Apple says it’s also working on improving the existing apps, so messaging and VoIP apps, for example, will be allowed to show the past conversations or contacts.
Overall, CarPlay will soon provide an updated experience for everyone with an iPhone running iOS 14. A preview of this OS version is already available as part of the dev program, while the stable build is due in September.
And the next major update for iPhones will bring lots of new features, some of which have already been announced by the company at the WWDC this week during an iOS 14 demo.
First and foremost, CarPlay will introduce new app categories, which is without a doubt good news for everyone, especially as the number of apps right now is rather limited. Beginning with iOS 14, CarPlay will support parking, EV charging, and food-ordering apps, and Apple says it’s already providing developers with the necessary resources, including templates, to make this happen.
Then, there’s the feature that has already made the headlines earlier this year and which many are already drooling over: wallpaper support. You’ll thus be able to set a custom background for the dashboard and the home screen beginning with this update.
CarPlay will also come with a horizontal status bar that is specifically aimed at cars with portrait screens, thus improving the screen estate and enabling a wider UI for the running apps.
CarPlay users in China and Japan will get new localized keyboards, so searching for specific locations will be much easier.
As far as the hands-free interaction with CarPlay is concerned, there are two major Siri updates on their way. First, you’ll be able to ask Siri to share an ETA with a specific contact using just a voice command, and then, the digital assistant will be able to help you create an audio message or reply to one without any manual input.
Apple says it’s also working on improving the existing apps, so messaging and VoIP apps, for example, will be allowed to show the past conversations or contacts.
Overall, CarPlay will soon provide an updated experience for everyone with an iPhone running iOS 14. A preview of this OS version is already available as part of the dev program, while the stable build is due in September.
Google News