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See the full story · 1 sourcesGo to the 9to5Mac home page Switch site 9to5Toys 9to5Google Logo 9to5Google Electrek Drone DJ Logo DroneDJ Space Explored About Privacy Toggle social menu Toggle dark mode Search for: Submit Toggle search form Forums Store Podcasts Apple@Work Happy Hour 9to5Mac Daily Overtime iPhone iPhone Mac Mac MacBook Pro MacBook Air iMac Mac mini Mac Studio Mac Pro iPad iPad Pro iPad Air iPad mini iPad iPadOS Watch Apple Watch Apple Watch Ultra Apple Health Apple Watch SE Vision Vision Pro visionOS Music and TV Apple Music AirPods HomePod Apple TV Guides Reviews How Tos AAPL Apple Store Apple Arcade Apple Card Apple Silicon Apple One Apple Fitness+ CarPlay Siri HomeKit Toggle dark mode Apps CarPlay iPhone CarPlay keeps getting better with three recent exciting app updates Zac Hall | Aug 31 2026 - 5:11 am PT 0 Comments CarPlay is about to get even better with iOS 27 in September. New features including a dedicated Siri app and Siri AI will upgrade Apple's car infotainment system for iPhone users.
Even before the big iPhone software update officially launches, CarPlay in August has improved for everyone with three big app releases.
First, MLB upgraded their iPhone app in the middle of the baseball season to improve the CarPlay experience.
Fans can browse live and upcoming games, select a matchup, and choose their preferred team’s radio feed.
CarPlay also now shows baseball scores and key game details while the broadcast plays, with the app’s hide-scores setting respected for anyone avoiding spoilers.
Next, Meta AI for iPhone now works with CarPlay — with a catch.
The Meta AI app joins three other third-party chatbot apps that work with CarPlay: ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok.
However, Meta AI on CarPlay appears to be in limited testing for now.
Still, this shows the key benefit of CarPlay: integrating existing iPhone apps with your vehicle. You just can’t expect this amount of AI chatbot choice from built-in infotainment systems.
The third big CarPlay app in August is Storm Radar from The Weather Channel.
Storm Radar for CarPlay includes a map of your location. You can toggle between satellite view and the default map background. Data layers include radar, clouds, and precipitation.
Navigation is also a core part of the CarPlay app. Storm Radar displays your current weather conditions alongside the ETA and weather conditions expected at your destination.
The Weather Channel adds that CarPlay support includes “automatic rerouting and weather alerts along your route that refresh as you drive.”
Looking ahead, Apple will upgrade CarPlay for everyone with the upcoming iOS 27 iPhone update. Installing the iPhone software update or upgrading to a new iPhone running iOS 27 when it comes out will automatically add new features to CarPlay.
In the meantime, Volvo has upgraded three SUVs with Spatial Audio through CarPlay for Apple Music and Apple Podcasts. This brings Dolby Atmos sound support to drivers. Earlier this year, Pioneer released an aftermarket head unit that similarly drives Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio through CarPlay.
Want other ways to improve your CarPlay experience?
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Zac Hall is a Senior Editor, covering Apple, apps, and AI. He joined 9to5Mac in 2013.
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