Joe Rossignol
In late 2023, Porsche previewed what next-generation CarPlay could look like in its cars, revealing a pair of images showing off a customized instrument cluster and more. However, the luxury automaker has yet to release a single vehicle with the software nearly a year later, and it still doesn’t appear to have any immediate plans to do so.
A Porsche spokesperson told MacRumors today that the automaker plans to maintain the current level of CarPlay integration in the “near term.” Porsche supports standard CarPlay, and while some of its cars like the Taycan offer extra features like EV routing in Apple Maps, it’s not next-generation CarPlay.
Aston Martin also unveiled its next-generation CarPlay design alongside Porsche last year, but has yet to release a single car that supports the system.
Apple’s website still says the first cars with next-generation CarPlay support will “arrive in 2024,” but no cars support the software yet. That leaves Apple and automakers with just over a month to meet that 2024 deadline.
Apple first teased next-generation CarPlay in June 2022, promising deeper integration with the dashboard and climate controls, support for multiple dashboard displays, a dedicated FM radio app, widgets, and more. The interface can be tailored to each specific car model and the automaker’s branding.
When Apple unveiled the next-generation CarPlay, it said that automakers committed to the cause included Acura, Audi, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Polestar, Porsche, Renault, and Volvo. However, it’s been nearly two and a half years since Apple shared that list, so it’s unclear whether it’s still entirely accurate.
It’s still very possible that the next-generation CarPlay will eventually launch in December, and recent activity suggests that Apple is still preparing. Earlier this month, iOS 18.2 beta code showed off a few redesigned next-gen CarPlay icons, and Apple filed to protect its next-gen CarPlay designs in the European Union.
Apple has been adding references to next-gen CarPlay to iOS with iOS 17, so it’s unclear what the minimum iOS version requirements for the system will be. Either way, we’re expecting iOS 18.2 to be released on December 9. Hopefully, Apple will finally announce details about next-gen CarPlay availability next month.
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