WWDC 2025 had a few surprises in store, and while there was a lot of talk about design with the now-famous Liquid Glass, it's not just iOS 26 and macOS 26 that will benefit. Apple has chosen to take advantage of this widespread facelift of its OS to boost CarPlay, its car system. There is, of course, a new version of CarPlay available with iOS 26 and which brings its share of new features, but there is also a "new" CarPlay Ultra.
This is actually a project that Apple has had in the pipeline for several years, which it unveiled as early as 2022, and whose goal is to compete with Google in a sector where it is gradually gaining ground. CarPlay Ultra is a globalized version of Apple's application that is not limited to the central screen, the infotainment one. As with Android Auto (more precisely Google Automotive), it's about bringing the Apple touch to all the car's screens, including the driver's screen, known as the instrument panel. Via this new interface from Apple, it will be possible to manage various aspects of life on board such as air conditioning, ambient lighting or driving modes.
It is this new interface that Apple showed again at WWDC, without specifying which car manufacturers it will be available from, nor for which models.
In which car will we find CarPlay Ultra?
Fans of beautiful engines will have noticed that the car used for the CarPlay Ultra demonstration during the presentation was an Aston Martin, not the car of "Mr. Everyman" in short.
While waiting to be able to put your car under CarPlay Ultra to decide on the interface by arranging the information that you want to see appear while driving, you will more likely have to make do with the new CarPlay which is not stingy with new features.
Indeed, users of iOS 26, which can already be downloaded in its beta version, will be able to benefit from the new design, of course, but also from more controlled features. For example: when you receive a call while driving, the screen will no longer switch to phone mode, preventing you from seeing the navigation. Along with the new icons, there is also the possibility of creating your own widgets and advancing them as you wish, as well as a greater number of compatible applications.
Since Apple has always wanted to keep the announcements first, the first vehicles compatible with CarPlay Ultra will only be announced in the coming days.
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