- Apple has introduced CarPlay Ultra, an advanced version of its CarPlay system, offering deeper integration with a car and your iPhone.
- It features real-time controls like speedometer and climate settings, customizable themes, and widgets for the dashboard.
- Initially, it will be available in Aston Martin models in the U.S. and Canada and later expand to other regions.
Apple promised to deliver a new version of its CarPlay system back in 2022. Years have passed, and we heard nothing on the matter from the Cupertino Giant, forgetting about its promise altogether. But in a surprising turn of events, Apple has revealed the next iteration of CarPlay, dubbed CarPlay Ultra.
In a newsroom post, Apple announced that CarPlay Ultra will deliver deeper integration into a car’s system, and it will be bundled it with your iPhone experience. It lets the driver use on-screen controls, keep tabs on real-time content like “speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and more”. It also allows you to manage regular car controls, like radio and climate, to advanced options like performance settings of the car.
Apple has even come up with certain iPhone widgets that fit perfectly within the instrument cluster of your vehicle. Why you would want to browse your widget while driving is beyond me, but hey! To each their own. Moreover, it will feature different themes that reflect the design philosophy of the carmaker. So you can customize your dashboard as you would want.
Apple CarPlay Ultra is first going to be available in Aston Martin’s core models in the U.S. and Canada. It will later roll out to other models and supported infotainment systems. Other manufacturers like Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are also working to get CarPlay Ultra on their machines. The global availability will arrive in the next 12 months.
