Apple’s days of blocking you from watching video by way of CarPlay look like coming to an finish. The upcoming iOS26 replace will permit folks to challenge video from their telephones onto the middle show of their automobile by way of AirPlay. It will allow customers to “watch their favourite movies from iPhone proper on their CarPlay show once they aren’t driving,” Apple says.
The brand new functionality, which was first noticed by MacRumors, falls below the “video within the automobile” class on Apple’s developer web site, alongside “Automaker apps” and “automobile keys.” The corporate invitations automakers and builders who’re “eager about supporting CarPlay, CarPlay Extremely, AirPlay video, or automobile keys in your automobile system” to affix its MFi Program.
Apple says that automakers might want to add assist for CarPlay with AirPlay video, so it gained’t be out there to everybody instantly. Most automakers are slightly risk-averse when approaching new tech that has the potential to be a distraction from driving, in order that they’re seemingly pushing for assurances that movies can solely be performed whereas the automobile is parked. They’re additionally wary about handing over too much control of their screens to Apple, which is why Aston Martin is the one automaker that has come out in assist of the company’s new CarPlay Ultra.
Apple says that automakers might want to add assist for CarPlay with AirPlay video, so it gained’t be out there to everybody instantly.
A spokesperson for Apple didn’t instantly reply to questions on automaker assist or {hardware} necessities.
A variety of autos, particularly EVs, already supply some model of video streaming or gaming functionality whereas parked. Some automakers, particularly these with Google’s built-in Android-based operating systems, have began including native YouTube apps to their infotainment shows. Tesla has a Theater mode that helps Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and different providers. Different automobile producers with passenger or seatback screens support various video streaming services.
There have already been a lot of unauthorized methods to observe video by way of CarPlay by way of third-party adapters or jailbreak tweaks.