Apple's car platform is about to take a major leap: CarPlay is getting ready to play videos directly on the vehicle's screen.What until now was a system focused on navigation, music and callsIt begins to open the door to the consumption of audiovisual content, albeit with several limitations designed to maintain safety while driving.
The clues come from the first test versions of iOS 26.4 and the work of several developers, who have managed to activate interface and hidden menus dedicated to video in CarPlayThanks to these tests, we can already get a sense of how Apple TV integration will work and how content will move between the iPhone and the car screen when this option officially arrives in Europe and other markets.
Apple TV arrives on CarPlay: videos only when the car is stationary
Apple had already announced during its annual developers conference that CarPlay would eventually offer official video support.Always under one very clear condition: the car must be stopped. This idea has been taking shape in the latest betas of the system, which include direct references to integration with the Apple TV app within the car environment.
Explicit references to a complete Apple TV experience within the CarPlay panelIt wouldn't just be about sending a duplicate image of the iPhone, but an application with its own dashboard-adapted interface, where you could browse the streaming service's catalog and your personal library of movies and series.
Everything suggests that the function will be designed for very specific moments: waiting in a parking lot, charging electric cars, or long breaks during a tripIn those scenarios, it would make sense to use the infotainment system screen to watch an episode or continue a movie, without having to hold the mobile phone or resort to improvised solutions.
The company has been adamant on another point: As soon as the vehicle starts moving, playback will stop automatically.If the device is then parked again, the user can resume watching from where they left off. This logic will apply to both the native Apple TV app and videos streamed from the phone via AirPlay.
This is how sending video from the iPhone to the car screen will work
In addition to the dedicated Apple TV app, Apple is preparing A quick way to move a playing video between your iPhone and CarPlayThe system will allow you to transfer what you are seeing on your mobile phone to the car's screen with a touch, and do the reverse when it's time to get out of the vehicle.
According to demonstrations performed in a CarPlay simulator, this transition will rely on elements of the iPhone interface such as Dynamic Island and specific widgets which will act as a bridge. From this small interactive area, you can decide whether the video stays on your phone or is "uploaded" to the dashboard, provided the car is stopped and compatible with video playback.
In the car experience, The user will have access to multimedia controls designed for distraction-free operation.Pause, fast forward, rewind, and selection of episodes or recommended content—all adapted to the widescreen format of current vehicle displays. The idea is for everything to integrate seamlessly into the CarPlay design, which in its latest iterations is adopting a more polished aesthetic, with effects like Liquid Glass.
Another detail that has emerged in the tests is the appearance of a new “Video” section within the CarPlay settingsThis section only appears when the car officially supports the function, and from there you can check vehicle compatibility, adjust playback behavior and, presumably, activate or deactivate certain options according to the driver's preferences.
CarPlay Video and the role of automakers
Apple internally refers to this new feature as CarPlay Video, a feature that combines AirPlay, Apple TV and the car's own system.The developer documentation details the display on the vehicle screen. It depends on the manufacturer implementing the corresponding part in their infotainment system..
This means that, although iOS 26.4 includes CarPlay video support by default, Not all cars will have it available from day oneEach brand will have to adapt its software, define how and where the content appears on screen, and comply with safety restrictions, such as automatically blocking playback when the vehicle starts. In practice, many compatible car systems They will need updates or specific hardware to activate it.
However, the steps taken by Apple suggest that the company is finalizing its technical aspects and leaving the ball in the court of the automotive brandsOnce iOS 26.4 is available to the general public, it will only be a matter of months before we start seeing official announcements from manufacturers detailing which models will allow video playback in CarPlay and under what conditions.
In parallel, the integration with Apple TV and AirPlay fits with the company's strategy to strengthen its ecosystem of services also in the car: The user will be able to seamlessly switch from the living room to the mobile device and from the mobile device to the dashboard., always with the logical limitations imposed by road safety.
Everything suggests that, in the coming months, CarPlay will cease to be just a control center for maps and music and will also become a small entertainment center for occasional use when the car is parkedIf car manufacturers follow suit quickly, watching series and movies on the vehicle's screen could become relatively commonplace in parking lots and charging points in Spain and the rest of Europe as well.
