IOS 26 Brings CarPlay Widgets; GM Clarifies Plans

Apple’s iOS 26 adds widgets to CarPlay for the first time, letting users configure widget stacks and use any iPhone widget with customizable parameters via Settings; the release also includes communication improvements such as Tapbacks in Messages, compact call notifications, and new multitouch gestures in Apple Maps. The update enables video playback on CarPlay when a vehicle is parked, but that capability requires automaker support and developer integration and no cars have enabled it yet. General Motors has clarified that, while it is developing a proprietary centralized computing platform, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will remain in gas-powered vehicles “for the foreseeable future.” GM says the new system will debut on the 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ, initially running Google’s Gemini before transitioning to GM’s own AI, a plan that has provoked consumer backlash and skepticism about whether it can match smartphone-grade polish. Critics warn GM risks alienating customers if its in-car software is inferior or behind subscriptions, highlighting broader tensions over usability, data/privacy trade-offs and monetization in automotive infotainment.