Apple CarPlay Apple’s CarPlay gives you the ability to safely use what you love about your iPhone while you drive, but it’s not long for this world, according to Patrick George. Patrick George for The Atlantic: ‎ Last month, General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced that new cars made by the auto giant won’t support CarPlay and its counterpart, Android Auto… Because GM’s software isn’t tied to a phone like CarPlay is, access to the full suite of software requires its own data plan—through GM, of course. (The cheapest plan costs $10 a month.) Get used to these kinds of subscriptions, regardless of what kind of car you drive. In recent years, automakers have realized how much money they can…

Earlier this year, Apple finally launched CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. However, now nearly five months later, CarPlay Ultra is still limited to just one luxury vehicle brand. CarPlay Ultra features deeper integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in apps for radio and climate controls, rear-view camera feed support, and more. The connected iPhone provides app-related data, while the vehicle provides information like the current speed, fuel level, tire pressure, engine temperature, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can choose from various preset design options. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately,…

On the latest episode of The Verge's Decoder podcast, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe told guest host Joanna Stern why the EV maker continues to pass on Apple's CarPlay — both the standard version and the more advanced CarPlay Ultra. Echoing his previous comments on the matter, Scaringe said Rivian is focused on offering a "seamless digital experience," where customers do not need to switch between its own software and CarPlay. Instead, he said Rivian prefers to provide an à-la-carte selection of built-in apps, such as Apple Music, Google Maps, Spotify, and YouTube. Scaringe said he is "very confident" in Rivian's decision to skip CarPlay, especially as it plans to integrate AI into its vehicles over the next 18 months. For…

On the latest episode of The Verge's Decoder podcast, released today, Ford CEO Jim Farley told guest host Joanna Stern that the automaker does not entirely like Apple's current implementation of its CarPlay Ultra software system for vehicles. "We don't like the execution in round one of Ultra, but we're very committed to Apple," said Farley. "I've talked to [Apple CEO] Tim [Cook] many times about this." Farley implied that Ford is currently passing on CarPlay Ultra because it would result in Apple having "control of the entire experience inside a vehicle." In addition, he said it is important that Ford's entertainment system of choice integrates with its Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). "We just believe ADAS integration with your…

Hyundai's upcoming IONIQ 3 electric vehicle will support Apple's CarPlay Ultra system, according to the BBC publication Top Gear. Here is what Top Gear's Paul Horrell reported last week:The Ioniq 3 will be digital-forward. For a start it can run Apple's CarPlay Ultra if the driver wants. Even without the Apple skin, the interface allows more configuration of the design, and links to new synthesised EV sound effects.The mention of CarPlay Ultra in the report was spotted by French blog MacGeneration. Hyundai plans to showcase a conceptual version of the IONIQ 3 at the IAA Mobility auto show, which begins on September 9 in Munich, Germany. The report described the vehicle as a smaller and more affordable EV that will…

The fourth developer beta of iOS 26 introduces 12 new CarPlay wallpapers. The new CarPlay wallpapers are based on the official iOS 26 wallpaper for the iPhone, which has colorful semicircles with a Liquid Glass design. MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris shared all of the wallpapers in a social media post. There are six color options, with light and dark variants for each, for a total of 12 wallpapers. The color options include blue, brown, gray, green, purple, and red.Related: Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 4To see the new wallpapers in CarPlay, open the Settings app and tap on Wallpaper. Of course, you will need to have an iPhone running iOS 26 connected to your vehicle. In addition to the…