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DazzaD

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 9, 2012
7
28
So, whilst only a small change, the new higher res display for larger screens in CarPlay is a big usability improvement.

Small change, but makes a big difference. Liking it a lot.
 
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there are more than small changes in car play. Widgets work (you can add three rows of widgets each with 4 options), live activities works (somewhat), text app improvements coming. (w/ widgets you can add homekit controls) plus they fixed several small details.
 
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CarPlay in iOS 26 is amazing -- used it this morning for the first time, lots of tweaks everywhere, and widgets, which is very heady for HomeKit garage doors and gates.
 
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It didn’t work at all with the Alpine ILX-W650E I have.

iOS 18.5 did work.
 
Can anyone let me know how you interact with widgets if your display isn’t touch screen.

Had a rental Mazda CX-90 for a week last year that didn't have a touchscreen. There was a knob on the center console in front of the cup holders that rotated left and right to move a highlight box around interactable objects (icons, etc) and pushing down would select.

That's not common, since touch is an intuitive thing, but there is support for non-touch systems.

I generally liked the vehicle but the interior felt a little bit cramped, and I'm small (5'4").
 
Mazda I think on some models does do touch screen while the car is stationary but they disable it when the car moves, so you have to use the old school rotary selector.

It’s a philosophical thing they have. I don’t agree with it to be honest but that’s what they decided.
 
Make sense. On this one, the screen was inset pretty far into the dash and not easily reached. Designed to be more easily glanced at while driving, I think.

There's nothing wrong with the approach -- just a way of trying to improve safety and minimise draction. I find touch screens easier too but I didn't hate it outright myself.

Some cars might have a four-way keypad with a central button, for all I know. I don't know who else uses non-touch screens, though. At least in the US.
 
The only thing about carplay on iOS26 I have trouble with is the 'highlighted' icon (funnily enough own a Mazda and most of the time navigate with the scroll wheel) it's grey, which would be fine i can adapt from blue highlights to grey but a lot of the time the grey icons are VERY subtle and have to scroll forward then back to find where the highlighted section is, PLUS it's a bit annoying there are a few icons where it uses the SAME blue as the old highlights.

Now I do like iOS26 the liquid glass appearance its lovely but for use in a car and quick select and go I do think the system needs to be a bit less subtle and glass like and more of a HERE'S YOUR SELECTED ICON CLICK ME!!!
 
Only me or screenshot doesn’t take pic of CarPlay on Beta? It is very useful for me, to save places to update on Waze Editor later at home.
 
The only thing about carplay on iOS26 I have trouble with is the 'highlighted' icon (funnily enough own a Mazda and most of the time navigate with the scroll wheel) it's grey, which would be fine i can adapt from blue highlights to grey but a lot of the time the grey icons are VERY subtle and have to scroll forward then back to find where the highlighted section is, PLUS it's a bit annoying there are a few icons where it uses the SAME blue as the old highlights.

Now I do like iOS26 the liquid glass appearance its lovely but for use in a car and quick select and go I do think the system needs to be a bit less subtle and glass like and more of a HERE'S YOUR SELECTED ICON CLICK ME!!!

I haven’t had a chance to try it yet as I was traveling (by air, not car ), but the same type of complaints happened, particularly with Maps and CarPlay, when Apple adjusted the color scheme of Maps features, roads, terrain, etc.

Contrast was a big issue, but they adjusted during the betas thanks to user feedback and it was corrected/adjusted within the first month of betas if I remember correctly.
 
Only issue I've seen with CarPlay was sometimes Podcasts (using Apple Podcasts) would stop playing, and I'd have to disconnect the cable and reconnect to get it working again.
 
Wiried works for me on my VW but not wireless on my newer bmw.
I am considering patching my bmw to display full screen carplay now, if I can have maps and weather displaying at the same time. Anyone knows if its possible?
 
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