Apple Finally Launches CarPlay Ultra After It First Announced It in 2022. It Wasn’t Worth the Wait

At Apple’s 2022 WWDC, the company introduced updates on Apple CarPlay. Since then, Apple users have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new generation of CarPlay. Almost three years later, the tech giant has finally announced the name of its new operating system for cars: CarPlay Ultra.

CarPlay Ultra. The new version of CarPlay is exactly as Apple showed in December 2023 in Porsche and Aston Martin vehicles. CarPlay Ultra is designed to provide complete integration with the vehicle’s displays and systems, including features such as the speedometer, fuel level gauges, and climate controls.

Apple wants CarPlay Ultra to be fully integrated into the car’s interface, rather than being a separate system. This will require manufacturers to adapt and potentially relinquish some control over their existing systems.

Aston Martin-only. Apple has partnered with Aston Martin to premiere its new generation of CarPlay. Owners of the DB12, Vantage, Vanquish, and DBX 707 will be the first to experience the new CarPlay. To benefit from this update, an iPhone 12 or higher running iOS 18.5 or newer is required.

Currently, Porsche is the only known partner that will be offering this feature. Apple hasn’t mentioned any other manufacturer that will follow suit.

Not worth the wait. Apple CarPlay Ultra has faced delays and comes with a significant caveat. The system requires car manufacturers to relinquish nearly all control over the interface elements to Apple.

This update will allow CarPlay Ultra to display information such as speedometer readings, tachometer data, navigation maps, music, and climate control. Apple wants it to function similarly to Android Automotive, all while depending on whether the iPhone is connected.

However, details about how Siri will assist and integrate with the car remain unclear. The new version of Siri is still under development, while Google continues to demonstrate how its Gemini system will operate on Android Automotive.

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The iPhone as a hub. One main issue with CarPlay Ultra is its reliance on an external device. In contrast, cars equipped with Android Built-in utilize Android Automotive as the operating system, which operates independently of whether a smartphone is connected.

CarPlay Ultra isn’t a pre-installed system in vehicles, which is specially challenging for luxury cars. Using CarPlay or Android Auto wirelessly consumes a significant amount of the phone’s battery. It can also lead to performance inconsistencies when the battery is low.

Target audience. A critical question that arises with CarPlay Ultra is: Who is it designed for? While having Aston Martin as a major partner is noteworthy, Google previously partnered with Polestar to launch Android Automotive, ultimately reaching more mainstream brands.

The main concern with CarPlay Ultra is the near-total control it relinquishes to a system that isn’t pre-installed natively in the vehicle. This might make it difficult for manufacturers to embrace the system.

Images | Apple

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