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9 New Tricks iOS 13 Adds to Apple CarPlay

The update to iOS 13 grants access to a new and improved version of Apple CarPlay, from improved services and fewer distractions to better control.

Lance Whitney
by Lance Whitney 

If you want to connect your iPhone to your car, Apple CarPlay allows you to get driving directions, listen to music and other audio, make and receive phone calls, and listen to and respond to text messages. You can even accomplish most of these actions by talking to Siri instead of fiddling with touch-screen controls that take your eyes off the road.

With the update to iOS 13 or higher, CarPlay becomes even more helpful thanks to new features and the removal of a few obstacles. The app's new dashboard allows you to view more than one app at a time, the Maps app adds more details on the screen, and the Music app features better navigation and larger album art. You can also view your phone's calendar, and a passenger can use your iPhone without disrupting what you see on the CarPlay dashboard. Here's what you should check out.

New Dashboard

Before iOS 13, your dashboard could display only one app at a time. If you wanted to see the Maps navigation screen and use your Music player, you'd have to bounce back and forth between the two. Now you can split the screen between two or three apps so you can cue up driving directions in one window, control music from another, and view your calendar in a third portion of the screen.

The dashboard also has three different modes, which you can switch between by tapping the home button. One mode displays your current or last app full screen, another mode shows the split-screen view, and a third mode takes you back to the home screen with access to all your available apps. You can also tap on an app to display it full screen and tap one of the icons on the left side of the dashboard to switch to a recent app.

More Detailed Maps

Most drivers use CarPlay for driving directions, so Apple has beefed up its Maps app to deliver more information. You have always been able to see speed limit, direction, and estimated arrival time, but the update to iOS 13 adds a lot more detail, like 3D buildings and businesses such as gas stations and restaurants.

You can now also share your ETA with other people right from the car's screen. Siri is also more helpful with driving directions, giving you more specific instructions such as "Turn right at the next traffic light" instead of "Turn right in 800 feet."

Less Intrusive Siri

Speaking of Siri, the voice assistant is now less intrusive. Prior to iOS 13, you'd say "Hey, Siri," and the voice assistant would take over the whole screen, covering up the directions on the dashboard. Now, a visual indicator appears as a horizontal waveform at the bottom, so you don't lose track of whatever information is on the screen.

Siri Support for Third-Party Apps

Here's another bonus with Siri and CarPlay. The voice assistant supports more third-party apps. This means you don't have to use Apple's built-in default apps. For example, you can tell Siri "Take me to the nearest gas station using Google Maps" or "Play jazz from Pandora."

Music App Improvements

With iOS 13, the Music app through CarPlay is easier on the eyes. Album art is larger and more pervasive, so you can more readily identify an album visually. Navigating to your albums and playlists is a quicker and simpler process. The interface is more intuitive as you can see your album art on the right side of the screen and still use the touch-screen controls for playing music.

See What's Playing

You can more easily see full details on whatever song, podcast, or other audio is currently playing via an app entitled Now Playing. The Now Playing app can be accessed from the home screen, or if you're already in an audio app, just tap the audio graph icon in the upper-right corner.

View Your Calendar

You can now view your calendar appointments for the current day. Just navigate to the home screen and tap on the icon for Calendars or ask Siri to show you your calendar.

No More Link Between iPhone and CarPlay

Consider this scenario. You're following directions in the Maps app. At the same time, the passenger in the seat next to you picks up your iPhone and opens a different app, such as Music or Messages. In the past, the dashboard would mirror whatever app was opened on your phone, but that no longer happens in iOS 13. Your passenger can open any app on your phone and the dashboard view remains the same.

Better Settings

CarPlay offers its own dedicated Settings app through which you can tweak different options. You can turn Do Not Disturb While Driving, Siri Suggestions, and Album art on and off. There is also a switch that sets the CarPlay app's color scheme between dark mode and the default light theme.

Hidden iOS 13 Features You'll Want to Try

A new iPhone operating system always generates news, but what about the iOS 13 features Apple hasn't made a big deal about? Here's what you need to check out.
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About Lance Whitney

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