When Apple launched iOS 26 last fall, it came with an upgraded CarPlay experience that integrated many of the best features found in the iPhone software. For example, I was thrilled to find the same Liquid Glass material design that gives interface elements the same transparent appearance as the iPhone.
Just late last month, Apple released iOS 26.4, which brought new features — including some specifically for CarPlay. Since then, however, Apple has released the iOS 26.5 beta 1 software that tacks on a few minor changes. While it’s not an overhaul of the previous iOS 26.4 I had running on my iPhone 17 Pro, I’ve been testing out the new beta software for the past few days while driving up to the New York Auto Show 2026.
