CarPlay keeps getting better, here are two new features I love

CarPlay has gotten a lot better with iOS 26 and subsequent updates over the past year, here are two new features I’ve been loving lately.

#1: AI Chatbot Applications

It’s not often that CarPlay gets a whole new category of apps, but that’s exactly what happened with iOS 26.4.

Since the last iPhone update, CarPlay now allows you to use “voice-based conversational apps” (AI chatbots).

So far, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok have all launched CarPlay versions, and I expect Claude and Gemini to follow suit soon.

I love using AI apps in the car because they allow me to do research and ask general questions while keeping my eyes and hands focused on driving.

These AI apps only support voice interactions, making them much safer than using your iPhone. And they offer an exciting look at what iOS 27 should enable for Siri.

Widgets are a brand new CarPlay feature launched in iOS 26. But two more recent updates have made the feature even better.

In iOS 26.2, Apple increased the number of widgets available on screen for certain vehicles.

I was one of the lucky ones. My car went from having two widgets at a time to now, after the update, displaying three simultaneously.

And after the launch of iOS 26.4, Apple Sports added its own CarPlay widget for sports tracking. It was perfect timing for me with this newly added widget location.

While I would love a dedicated CarPlay app for Apple Sports, having a widget is the next best thing. Whenever I want to follow a game or check my teams’ schedules, I can do it directly in CarPlay and leave my iPhone untouched.

What are some of your favorite recent CarPlay features? Let us know in the comments.

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