It's a few years later than we were promised, but an advanced new version of Apple CarPlay is finally here. CarPlay is Apple's way of casting a phone's video and audio to a car's infotainment system, but with CarPlay Ultra it gets a big upgrade. Now, in addition to displaying compatible iPhone apps on the car's center infotainment screen, CarPlay Ultra will also take over the main instrument panel in front of the driver, replacing the OEM-designed dials like the speedometer and tachometer with a number of different Apple designs instead.

"iPhone users love CarPlay and it has changed the way people interact with their vehicles. With CarPlay Ultra, together with automakers we are reimagining the in-car experience and making it even more unified and consistent," said Bob Borchers, vice president of worldwide marketing at Apple.

However, to misquote William Gibson, CarPlay Ultra is unevenly distributed. In fact, if you want it today, you're going to have to head over to the nearest Aston Martin dealership. Because to begin with, it's only rolling out in North America with Aston Martin, inside the DBX SUV, as well as the DB12, Vantage, and Vanquish sports cars. It's standard on all new orders, the automaker says, and will be available as a dealer-performed update for existing Aston Martins with the company's in-house 10.25-inch infotainment system in the coming weeks.

Read full article

Comments

• Apple partnered with Aston Martin to launch CarPlay Ultra for its luxury vehicles.
• CarPlay Ultra integrates iPhone functions into the dashboard with customizable features and Siri.
• Available in Aston Martin's Vantage sports car, starting at $194,000, and additional models.

Apple's CarPlay just got a James Bond-esque makeover.

The tech giant partnered with luxury car brand Aston Martin for the initial rollout of CarPlay Ultra, the next generation of the program that allows iPhone owners to bring the Apple ecosystem to their car.

Unlike its older sibling, which is restricted to the infotainment system in the center console, CarPlay Ultra gives your full dashboard the Apple treatment, including customizable features. The new program is like putting Siri in the passenger seat: It allows the voice-controlled assistant to manage functions like the radio, climate, and performance settings depending on the vehicle.

Drivers can tailor what they see on their screens in the car using their iPhone, mixing information from the vehicle itself with widgets powered by Apple.

"With CarPlay Ultra, together with automakers, we are reimagining the in-car experience, making it even more unified and consistent," Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president of worldwide product marketing, said in a press release.

CarPlay Ultra is available with US or Canada-based orders for Aston Martin's DBX SUV, Vantage, DB12, and Vanquish as of Thursday, with plans to expand to more of its lineup through a software update on compatible vehicles. If you're hoping for instant access to the new program, it'll likely be a six-figure splurge.

A 2025 Aston Martin Vantage starts at $194,000, and the "Supercar of SUV's" DBX retails for $256,000 to start, according to Car and Driver magazine. The British automaker said it would be limiting imports to the US as it monitored the "evolving" tariff situation, CEO Adrian Hallmark wrote in the company's first quarter earnings report.

Apple first announced its plan for a second generation of CarPlay in 2022. In January, it amended the CarPlay webpage to remove its 2024 timeline without an updated launch date, according to MacRumors.

Eventually, Apple said, CarPlay Ultra will roll out to other automakers, like Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, which have already committed to launching the new program.