Apple has recently taken a surprising turn regarding vehicle technology. They have not revived the Apple Car project but have allowed video playback through CarPlay, with the stipulation that the vehicle must be stationary. This much-anticipated feature represents a significant departure from their nearly decade-long strict prohibition.
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Official Video Playback in Vehicles Through CarPlay
Named “Video in the car,” this new feature was quietly listed on Apple’s developer website. It enables video content streaming from an iPhone to the CarPlay screen via AirPlay. As Apple states, “Video in the car allows users to watch their favorite videos from their iPhone on the CarPlay screen when they are not driving. The integration of CarPlay ‘AirPlay video’ function will be necessary to deploy this service.”
In other words, video playback is strictly limited to when vehicles are parked, adhering to road safety regulations. However, this opens up more comprehensive multimedia usage possibilities, especially for passengers waiting in the car or during long breaks on road trips.
It’s noteworthy that Apple made this change soon after a third-party app briefly enabled video playback through a browser on CarPlay, before Cupertino quickly disabled the functionality. User demand appears to have played a role in this decision.
CarPlay Ultra Upgrades with iOS 26
Video playback is not the only new feature for CarPlay. With iOS 26, Apple is making slight modifications to the interface, including new icons, more advanced appearance options, widget support, and targeted updates for Music and Messages.
These changes precede the highly anticipated launch of CarPlay Ultra, which was introduced last year but is still limited to a few partner manufacturers. With this ultra version, Apple aims to expand beyond the central screen and simple iPhone app displays. They plan to offer an extended driving experience from the speedometer to the fuel gauge, including climate control settings and driving modes—a complete integration of vehicle controls.
Features such as the speedometer, multimedia controls, and driving assistance systems are now accessible through a unified interface in the Apple style, yet customized according to the vehicle brand. For example, Aston Martin will have a graphic theme that reflects its brand identity.
CarPlay Ultra will also introduce Siri voice commands to manage car functions such as the radio, heating, or driving mode selection. The interface will support iOS widgets, brought over to the display for quick access to useful information like calendar, weather, reminders, and more. This approach reinforces the concept of an extended Apple ecosystem into the automotive sector, maintaining continuity between iPhone functions and the vehicle.