iOS 26 brings multitouch gestures to CarPlay mapping apps

Apple will let CarPlay users perform multi-touch gestures like pinching to zoom and pan in compatible mapping and navigation apps, like on their iPhone.

CarPlay, which mirrors an iPhone’s screen on a vehicle’s infotainment display, is getting several new features in iOS 26. Among the changes is support for multi-touch gestures in compatible mapping apps in supported vehicles that are equipped with multitouch displays.

“Many new vehicles support multitouch interactions, including any vehicle that supports CarPlay Ultra,” Apple’s CarPlay software engineer Olivia Hess said in a WWDC 2025 video for developers. “Starting in iOS 26, if a vehicle supports multitouch interactions in CarPlay, drivers can interact with your navigation app using multitouch gestures.”

iOS 26 brings multitouch gestures to CarPlay mapping apps

Android Auto, the equivalent of CarPlay for Android users, has supported pinch-zooming in mapping apps, but CarPlay for some reason hasn’t. When iOS 26 launches this fall and you install it on your iPhone, you’ll be able to zoom in and out in your favorite mapping app, as well as pan around.

This is going to be a much better, more intuitive and safer way to interact with a mapping and navigation app while driving, as opposed to hitting the zoom in and out buttons. The built-in Maps app will support this out of the box, while third-party apps will need to use Apple’s APIs to add multitouch support. Of course, you won’t be able to use multi-fingered gestures if your vehicle lacks a multitouch-capable display.

CarPlay will also support video playback via AirPlay from your iPhone when your vehicle is parked. As noted in our WWDC25 roundup, other new CarPlay features are coming with iOS 26 this fall.

Other CarPlay improvements on iOS 26

Aside from a redesigned interface with translucent Liquid Glass elements, CarPlay on iOS 26 brings a compact call notification for less intrusive calls, reacting with emoji (Tapback) and accessing pinned chats in the Messages app, support for widgets and the Live Activities feature for real-time updates without opening apps.

For owners of the AirPods 4 or the second-generation AirPods Pro, CarPlay will automatically switch the audio to the in-car speaker system when you sit in your car and turn the key. The same enhancements will be available with CarPlay Ultra, a premium version of CarPlay available in select vehicles equipped with touchscreen hardware.

Apple is currently testing iOS 26 and other operating systems with developers. The general public will be able to test the new features in July, when Apple will release the first public betas of iOS 26 and more. The operating systems will be released for public consumption in September, ahead of new iPhones.

Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/06/13/apple-ios-26-carplay-multitouch-mapping-apps/