Apple plans to bring new artificial intelligence features to CarPlay Bloomberg. Apple will allow third-party chatbot apps to integrate with CarPlay, making AI services like Claude, Gemini and ChatGPT available in the car for the first time.
CarPlay already supports third-party apps, but the types of apps supported are limited. Companies like Anthropic and OpenAI are currently unable to create CarPlay apps, so users are limited to using Siri voice control in the vehicle.
With this change, CarPlay users will have access to apps like ChatGPT to ask hands-free questions, although those apps won’t be able to control the vehicle or iPhone functions. Third-party AI voice apps will not be accessible via the wake word and will not replace Siri, so users will need to open the app to access the chatbot. App developers will be able to design an in-car environment that launches voice chat mode when the app is opened, streamlining the process.
Apple plans to support third-party AI apps “in the coming months,” which could coincide with when a smarter version of the company’s Siri will be launched. With iOS 26.4, Apple introduces a more customized version of Siri that uses large language models.
Siri will be able to answer complex questions, complete multi-step tasks, maintain continuity and do more within and between apps. The personal assistant is also set to get the World Knowledge Answers feature, which allows it to search the web and summarize information from web pages.
Later in iOS 27, Siri will gain full chatbot capabilities, allowing it to better compete with Gemini, Claude, and ChatGPT.
Popular stories
iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 will add these new features to your iPhone
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of the public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. After beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April. Below, we’ve recapped the so-far known or rumored features of iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4. iOS 26.3 iPhone to Android Transfer Tool iOS 26.3 makes it easy to…
Apple has made its second largest acquisition of all time
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for nearly $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make the acquisition Apple’s second largest ever, after it paid $3 billion for popular headphone maker Beats in 2014. It’s also Apple’s biggest-known acquisition since it bought Intel’s smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019.
Tim Cook shows off plans for Apple’s upcoming 50th anniversary
Apple turns 50 this year, and CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026. “I’ve been unusually reflective about Apple lately as we’ve been working on what we’re going to do to mark that moment,” Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. “When you really stop and stop and think about the last 50 years, it blows your mind…
Apple TV announces 12 new shows and movies this year
Apple on Tuesday unveiled 12 new shows and movies that will premiere on the Apple TV streaming service throughout 2026. New Series: Imperfect Women — March 18, 2026 Margo’s Got Money Troubles — April 15, 2026 Widow’s Bay — April 29, 2026 May — Maximum 20 02 05 June Satisfaction Guaranteed 5 2026 Lucky — July 15, 2026 New Movies: Eternity — …
Apple starts selling refurbished iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models at lower prices
Apple today began selling certified refurbished iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models on its US online store, with prices reduced by 12% to 22% compared to current or previous Apple device prices. Here are Apple’s starting prices when the device launches in September 2024: iPhone 16: $799 iPhone 16 Plus: $899 iPhone 16 Pro:…