Apple iPhones with the iOS 16 update bring about a lot of cool featuresApple iPhones with the iOS 16 update bring about a lot of cool features, mostly focused on customizations and elevated safety. But amidst all the buzz, the updates for Apple CarPlay that comes along has been gone about unnoticed. The CarPlay updates with iOS 16 are not as intensive as that on the iPhones, but nevertheless, make living the connected life a lot easier, on the go.

Apple has improved on the maps, Siri integration, and communication features on the latest version of CarPlay. Aesthetics also gets a mild revamp with new wallpapers and a tweaked interface for certain applications. All of these subtle tweaks come together to provide a notably refreshed experience with Apple CarPlay in cars and supported motorcycles.

Another cool developer feature is the addition of more App categories. This will help developers create a curated and more diverse set of applications to work natively with Apple CarPlay. There's more, but for the future! Apple had given us a sneak peek at the future of Apple CarPlay at the WWDC22 that was held in June 2022. Apple showed us how the CarPlay can take over as the primary technology interface for all of a car's controls.

In short, cars in the future can integrate Apple CarPlay as its sole technology feature that will take care of the instrument cluster, the infotainment screen, all in-car and external controls, and even sophisticated security and connectivity features. The future is all about connected technology, and with what Apple showcased at WWDC22, we now have an idea of what to expect with the technology features of the highly anticipated Apple all-electric car.

A lot of subtle visual and technology tweaks come together to make Apple CarPlay a lot more intuitive to use in cars and motorcycles with the iOS 16 update.

iOS 16 Brings A Lot Of Subtle Updates To Apple CarPlay

All the new features that come to Apple CarPlay with the latest iOS update are frankly subtle in nature. But that doesn't diminish the impact it has on the overall user experience. Apple is known to take its own sweet time to bring out new features, which is why there are fewer cases of bugs as compared to the Android ecosystem. The iOS 16 update for Apple CarPlay is more like ironing rough patches and giving the UI a refresh. Some features were long overdue and others make us truly excited about the future of Apple CarPlay.

Apple Maps Gets A Long Overdue Feature

Apple CarPlay with iOS 16 gets new map update
Nick O' Leary Via YouTube

This feature is a classic case of "Android has had it for years". Nevertheless, Apple has finally added an "Add Stop" future to its Maps. This is a huge relief for people who had to migrate to Google Maps just for the feature. "Add Stop" gives you the leverage to pin pit stops during your journeys like motels and gas stations. Apple Maps would reanalyze and give you a more efficient route based on the location of the Stops added on the route. Adding or deleting a Stop is fairly simple and requires no more than three touches.

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Siri Sounds Soothing & Helps With Quicker Messaging

Apple CarPlay with iOS 16 gets new messaging features
Nick O' Leary Via YouTube

This is the subtlest update ever and if not for Nick O' Lear's YouTube video, we wouldn't have even paid heed to it. He points out the slight change of the activation music when summoning Siri which happens to be a bit more soothing that the older one. Another new feature is the option to automatically send messages. This feature is natively switched off, and you will need to activate it. When done, you can dictate a message via Siri and after a few seconds of waiting, the message would be sent directly to the selected contact.

Apple CarPlay Interface Gets A Visual Refresh

Apple CarPlay with iOS 16 gets refreshed visuals
Nick O' Leary Via YouTube

Next up on the "subtle" list, is a mild refresh of the user interface. More precisely, Apple has added three new wallpapers, of which, one is black-and-white. It doesn't bring about a major change in the visual appeal, but it's always good to have new wallpapers. Sadly, we still can't use any custom images as wallpapers. You are stuck with what Apple provides as stock. Opening up that page of using any image as wallpaper would have been a more exciting change.

Related: Hyundai And Kia File Patent For Sliding Tailgate Technology

An Interesting New App Feature

Apple CarPlay with iOS 16 gets a revamped Podcasts application
Nick O' Leary Via YouTube

With the latest Apple CarPlay, the Podcasts application gets its UI revamped. It now comes with a new "Library" tab, and the whole theme is synonymous with the Apple Music software. We feel that Apple is planning on streamlining all the apps that have the same use-case scenario. The "Library" tab makes scouting through your list of podcasts a lot easier.

Future Of Apple CarPlay Looks Exciting

The future of Apple CarPlay is very exciting
Nick O' Leary/YouTube

Apart from the immediate new features, Apple has planned for a very exciting future roadmap for CarPlay. We got to see a glimpse of it at WWDC22 where Apple showcased its CarPlay software being used as the core interface on a car's dashboard. It means that everything from the instrument cluster to the in-car comfort and technology controls will be streamlined via CarPlay.

This process is a long way off, as automakers have to decide and implement Apple CarPlay in their core system interface. These features would most likely start popping up in fully-electric cars (if and when approved by the car-makers) and looks to have a clear affinity for autonomous cars. We have a strong feeling that the long-awaited Apple electric car would be the first one to flaunt this technology.

Sources: Nick O' Leary Via YouTube, Apple