New Apple CarPlay update will let you watch videos in your car

Apple CarPlay users could soon be able to watch videos and potentially even stream movies in their car, thanks to a new update expected to arrive later this year.

As part of Apple’s iOS 26.4 beta software release, the Californian tech giant has unlocked the ability for app developers to enable drivers (when parked) to stream video content via AirPlay to a car’s infotainment display. 

Such a feature was touted at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June 2025 when the latest iOS 24 software for iPhone was unveiled. This also brought a radical design change referred to as Liquid Glass, as well as a suite of other features including configurable home screen widgets for CarPlay – much like in the even more advanced CarPlay Ultra which, at the time of writing, is still only available on Aston Martin models.

Apple is set to add its own Apple TV streaming app to CarPlay, with the likes of Amazon Prime, Disney Plus and YouTube likely to follow in the coming months. The feature remains in Beta state at the moment, so there’s no saying when it will receive a public release; only devices featuring compatibility with the latest software will be able to make use of this feature when it officially becomes available.

There is, of course, every possibility that video playback could instead be saved for the next full version of iOS, set to be revealed in June. However, Apple offers incremental upgrades to its software, such as the one late in 2025 which brought with it further customisation options.

CarPlay’s most direct software competition, Android Auto, doesn’t offer video streaming functionality. That said, many manufacturers, such as Tesla and Kia, offer streaming apps on their cars’ infotainment systems. These, however, do still require the relevant paid subscriptions to access.

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