CarPlay hasn’t received a significant design update since it was released. Apple is finally changing that in iOS 13. if you have already updated your iPhone, I’m sure you’ve noticed the design changes. But, you may not have noticed some of CarPlay’s best new features.
One of my complaints with CarPlay has always been its singular focus. CarPlay has continuously operated too much like the iPhone. There is a springboard with apps, you tap on one, and CarPlay presents a full-screen view of one app.
This functionality may work fine for the iPhone, but merely getting directions and seeing what song is playing at the same time requires too much fiddling. Apple prides itself on simplicity, but sometimes that philosophy leads to an experience.
2. New Apps
For the first time, CarPlay features a Settings app. The app gives you the option to customize a few aspects of the experience. Siri suggestions are toggled on by default. Places to navigate, calendar events, etc. show up in the dashboard when relevant. However, you can turn these off in the settings. The Settings app also lets you choose whether to keep CarPlay’s new dark mode on all the time.
One of my favorite design tweaks is the addition of album art on the now playing screen. It looks great on larger CarPlay screens, but the Settings app gives you the option to turn it off if it feels a bit cramped to you. iOS 13 also brings the calendar app to CarPlay. The Calendar app is another nice touch that lets you take a peek at your day.
3. Siri Suggestions
I mentioned Siri suggestions above, but if you are someone who finds them useful, they are now available in CarPlay. I believe the best use case is getting directions calendar events. If your job requires you to drive to new places regularly, I bet you will love this feature.
4. Screen Independence
Please, on behalf of the rest of us, do not fiddle with your phone while driving. With that said, an annoyance I’ve had with CarPlay is the connection with the iPhone. When you check anything on the phone, the CarPlay screen follows along.
I always order Starbucks on the way to work (at a stoplight), and it causes CarPlay to go back to the home screen. Not anymore. In iOS 13, the phone screen is independent of the CarPlay screen.
5. Refined Design
When Apple tweaks a design that we’re used to, it’s not always for everyone. But I think the CarPlay update is objectively better for everyone. Also, Apple included just enough customization options to keep everyone happy. For example, I don’t find Siri shortcuts useful, so I love being able to get rid of them on the dashboard.
The Maps app has received an updated design that makes navigation more enjoyable. I mentioned the album artwork above, but I love that it shows up in now playing. I think the old now playing interface was too bland.
What do you think about the new CarPlay update? Let us know in the comments below.
Carplay for iOS 13 sucks majorly for one big reason. Disabled Siri shortcuts. Now instead of simply pressing the button on my steering wheel and saying play top 40 to tune to the Classic American Top 40 station on iHeart Radio, or pressing the button and saying drive to Kingdom Come to open Waze and navigating to that destination while driving, I have to take my eyes off of the road and try to navigate a complex touch screen infotainment system to do things. Newer cars are not like old school car stereos where you could feel your way around with just the buttons while keeping your eyes on the road, you literally have to look at the screen while doing things. This is a huge set back for Apple that they do not even acknowledge. For me, my work around is I have an old IPhone 7 that I did not update that still has iOS 12 on it. I put all of my apps and shortcuts in it, connect it to the hotspot on my 10x Max, and then connect the 7 to car play.
The drawbacks of this is that I lose my hands free calling and texting via carplay, and for some reason, the display on the infotainment system does not look right with my iPhone 7.
If Apple does not straighten up and acknowledge this, and fix it, then my next phone may just be an Android so I can try out Android auto.
I love CarPlay, and now I can’t get it to mirror my phone on IoS13.6. Any tips?
Carplay for iOS 13 sucks majorly for one big reason. Disabled Siri shortcuts. Now instead of simply pressing the button on my steering wheel and saying play top 40 to tune to the Classic American Top 40 station on iHeart Radio, or pressing the button and saying drive to Kingdom Come to open Waze and navigating to that destination while driving, I have to take my eyes off of the road and try to navigate a complex touch screen infotainment system to do things. Newer cars are not like old school car stereos where you could feel your way around with just the buttons while keeping your eyes on the road, you literally have to look at the screen while doing things. This is a huge set back for Apple that they do not even acknowledge. For me, my work around is I have an old IPhone 7 that I did not update that still has iOS 12 on it. I put all of my apps and shortcuts in it, connect it to the hotspot on my 10x Max, and then connect the 7 to car play.
The drawbacks of this is that I lose my hands free calling and texting via carplay, and for some reason, the display on the infotainment system does not look right with my iPhone 7.
If Apple does not straighten up and acknowledge this, and fix it, then my next phone may just be an Android so I can try out Android auto.
Yes. Good points here. I agree