Your iPhone Might Be Missing Some Of iOS 27's Coolest New CarPlay Features

The September Apple event gave us not only the iPhone Duo, but also iOS 27. It's a major update in Apple's race to catch up with Google and Samsung, which are still far ahead in AI. While we acknowledge artificial intelligence isn't very popular these days, it does have genuine use cases. Apple's answer is Siri AI. After years of being stuck in the 2010s, Siri can now understand personal context, recognize what's on your screen, and provide more relevant answers. The best part? Siri AI has also made its way to Apple CarPlay.

That said, it's not for everyone. Only users with an iPhone 15 Pro, Pro Max, or higher can access Siri AI. But is it worth upgrading your iPhone for? The answer depends on you. Imagine you're driving and remember that a friend invited you somewhere, but you don't recall the specifics like when and where. So, you summon Siri AI, ask it to search for any events your friends invited you to, and it'll find the details.

It can also search your messages for specific information, like, "What was the Korean restaurant John recommended," or, "What was the place we ate Sushi last week?" Once Siri finds it, you can use Apple Maps to get directions. You can also ask for nearby EV chargers or other stops along your route, keeping in mind your vehicle's current charge level. Depending on the person, this could either be a major time saver or a big privacy violation, since Siri AI accesses your personal data. 

Despite the benefits, not everyone wants to update their iPhone just yet. If that's you, Apple has added other CarPlay features, too. Until recently, if you wanted to watch a video while your car was still, your only option was the iPhone. Technically, iOS 26 could help you stream videos to the infotainment system, but it was very limited. Well, iOS 27 changes that: CarPlay can now play videos. And yes, you don't need a car with an Apple MFi Program-certified system. You can watch Apple TV shows like Ted Lasso and Silo, and the UI has changed to better suit car displays. Once you start driving, video playback stops, although you can continue listening to the audio. There's just one catch: your carmaker needs to enable this feature.

The rest of the CarPlay changes with iOS 27 are visual. A Now Playing mini-player widget with album artwork lets you control music without leaving your current screen. You also get the much-requested progress bar so that you can skip the boring parts of a song, and some fresh new wallpapers. Apple says it has also improved CarPlay stability and GPS tracking.

To access these features, update your iPhone to iOS 27 (available for iPhone 11 and later). Also, Siri AI isn't available in the European Union, even if you have a supported iPhone, so keep that in mind.