If you were like me and thought that after iOS 26 was released, Apple would leave CarPlay in the dust again, I have news for you. The company recently announced new updates and features for iOS 26.2, and a few CarPlay notes that slipped in caught my eye.
Manage pinned messages through CarPlay
Adding functionality and addressing a big user concern
Apple users have long been able to pin and unpin conversations across different devices and carry those pinned conversations over to CarPlay. However, they couldn't edit those pinned conversations in CarPlay. That changes with the implementation of iOS 26.2. Users can now edit their pinned conversations directly on their infotainment display. Additionally, the pinned conversation UX is allegedly undergoing design changes to more closely mirror the system users are familiar with.
Usability changes like this are good to see, as they prove that CarPlay is a working model yet again. While it might also mean that CarPlay Ultra is losing steam, for most users, this is a good sign. However, the following new feature is what might draw even more people in.
Some users will get more widget room
More customization is never a bad thing
When the initial rollout of CarPlay widgets was released, I was ecstatic to try them out. Then I found out my old car could handle only one at a time, for the most part. However, I recently just got a new car, and I'm hopeful that, like Tom Warren of The Verge, I will be able to scroll a whopping three widgets across my infotainment display.
Warren's widgets appear as a horizontal scroll of three, but other users have said that more widgets can stack now than in previous updates. Either way, I'm glad to see Apple making use of the space. I can only stare at my bland gradient background for so long on road trips. Speaking of which, when are we getting customizable backgrounds, and can we get them soon?
iOS 26 continues to be a game-changer for CarPlay
What was once the red-headed stepchild of the Apple lineup is now getting plenty of attention
Before iOS 26 brought its liquid glass display and new features to CarPlay, the platform had remained relatively unchanged for what felt like years. Most assumed that Apple had decided to shift its focus over to CarPlay Ultra, but when several large manufacturers began to push back on the new platform, Apple pivoted to its current CarPlay generation, and it's made real strides in that regard.
Many high-ranking automotive companies, such as Ford, have publicly stated that they want to continue working with CarPlay in order to improve its integration into their vehicles, but there are still some challenges ahead.
“How far do you want the Apple brand to go," asked Farley in a recent interview with The Verge. "Do you want the Apple brand to start the car? Do you want the Apple brand to limit the speed? Do you want the Apple brand to limit access?”
These concerns highlight the areas in which Apple received criticism from manufacturers over its CarPlay Ultra rollout, and outline a path forward if the brand is dead set on taking over every screen in your car as opposed to just the infotainment display. For now, though, CarPlay keeps its place on the big (car) screen, with hopes of expanding in the future.