Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Castro Podcast
CarPlay is here to stay, and the new version on the horizon confirms that users love connecting their iPhones to their cars. Vehicle manufacturers can’t ignore this trend, and software developers are working harder to offer CarPlay support in their apps, as users don’t want to leave them behind while driving.
Earlier this week, I told you about a major app release that makes voice-to-text as easy as 1-2-3, even when using CarPlay. The launch of this app confirmed that CarPlay is expanding into new fronts, especially as Apple opens its doors to more categories.
Today's release is an application already available on CarPlay, but now offers a redesigned experience.
Castro Podcast is a great podcast player that aims to make managing your subscriptions as easy as possible. I won’t go into detail about its feature set because you can find it on the App Store, but if you’ve been looking for a great podcast player with CarPlay support, this one is worth a look.
The latest update to version 2024.8 includes big changes to CarPlay, as the developers have added support for chapters. They say this has been one of the most requested features in Car, along with the dedicated speed selection UI. I've already tried the app and I particularly appreciate the chapter list, even though it demands your attention, especially when you're listening to a long podcast with a dozen chapters.
If you're already a Castro Podcast user and have automatic updates enabled, the new version should be installed on your iPhone. If you're new to the app and want to try it out, head over to the App Store to download it.
In the meantime, Apple is expected to put the finishing touches on the next-generation CarPlay experience due this year. CarPlay 2.0 should support most apps that are compatible with the current version, but we’re awaiting confirmation on that front. Since CarPlay 2.0 will work on all dashboard screens, including passenger screens and the instrument cluster, apps may require additional updates to take advantage of this feature, but full details should be provided by Apple next month.
The iPhone maker is expected to detail its CarPlay strategy at next month's iPhone event. Apple announced the new CarPlay experience in 2022 at WWDC, and early automakers have confirmed they'll roll out the system in late 2023.
Porsche and Aston Martin have promised to launch cars with CarPlay 2.0 this year, but no other announcements have been made so far. The two automakers may join Apple's event in September to discuss CarPlay and share more information about its integration into their models, but as is typically the case with any new project in the Apple ecosystem, that's all still unconfirmed.