CarPlay is new in iOS 13

In its first major overhaul since its inception, CarPlay is gaining many new features with the launch of iOS 13. Here's every new feature and evolution of Apple's automotive platform.

A necessary overhaul

CarPlay received a new coat of paint in iOS 13. It has been modernized with a new design that matches the rest of iOS 13. The CarPlay pillars such as the grid-based home screen are still present , but the left shelf has been modified and optimized. reorganized.

When you first look at the new home screen, you'll notice a pair of new apps that have not been shown before. iOS 13 adds both the Settings app and the Calendar app to CarPlay.

The calendar is a simple interface with a list of your upcoming appointments. You can access any of them and, if there is an address, you can quickly get step-by-step instructions.

The settings give you three options to control CarPlay, including the Do not disturb switch while driving, the selection of appearance and the disabling of Siri Suggestions on the dashboard.

The appearance can now alternate between a clear user interface and a dark user interface. In Settings, you can choose automatic where it stays clear the day and dark at night or you can tell it to always use the dark interface. There is no option to keep the interface light persistent.

Apple has also taken the opportunity to rethink the Music app. It now puts a lot more emphasis on colorful album art and is much easier to navigate.

The new dashboard

All the work they've done is highlighted in the new Dashboard view. This is your new control center while driving and gives you access to everything you need in one place. The map occupies half of the display, while Siri Suggestions, the Current Reading widget, and all upcoming appointments are hosted on the other half. Siri's suggestions can consist of a multitude of items, such as the location of your next appointment, where he thinks you are heading next, or your garage door opener. when you arrive at home.

Driving instructions also take over when using step-by-step navigation.

You can switch from the home screen to the dashboard by selecting a new icon in the lower left corner. The Home button now seems to have disappeared from CarPlay, just as it disappeared on iPhones and iPads.

Pressing one of these dashboard items will give you direct access to these applications as you wish. To the left of the dashboard are your Quick Launch icons for your recently used audio, navigation, and communication applications.

Siri

Siri has also been upgraded with iOS 13. Not only does the virtual assistant have a new voice, but it can also interact with third-party audio and navigation applications.

Car manufacturers can integrate support "Hey, Siri" this time, so you do not need a button to call Siri when needed. Whether you launch Siri by your voice or by the physical button, the user interface no longer supports the entire display. Siri is now relegated to the bottom of the screen, leaving the rest visible, which is crucial for navigation.

The pieces go a long way

With CarPlay on iOS 13, there is much more that you do not see coming in your own vehicle. Things like the support of adjustable screens or irregular screen sizes. As iOS 13 now supports a second video stream, HUDs or other secondary displays can now also be used in CarPlay.

The operating system supports the AVRCP 1.6 standard, which means that album art can be transmitted via Bluetooth when playing audio.

Maps also has a new look with updated interface and more map data across the United States. It has also adopted the possibility of sharing your ETA with recent contacts.

We can say that the biggest change in CarPlay corrects a persistent problem that anyone who has used CarPlay has known. On iOS 12 and earlier, CarPlay and the iPhone connected had to display the same application, that it was about messages, music, maps, and so on.

Personally, my other half would connect its iPhone to CarPlay, but whenever it would send a text or change the music, the map and navigation would disappear from the screen. This is no longer the case with iOS 13 which has independent application views. You can now use your iPhone regardless of what is displayed on the CarPlay user interface.

Apple will release iOS 13 as a free update later this fall. Check out our previous feature on our main new features in iOS 13 and how to master the dark mode.