Apple to Let iPhone Users Watch Videos on CarPlay Screen While Parked

Apple this week announced that iPhone users will soon be able to watch videos right on the CarPlay screen in supported vehicles.

CarPlay Liquid Glass Dark
iPhone users will be able to wirelessly stream videos to the CarPlay screen using AirPlay, according to Apple. For safety reasons, video playback will only be available when the vehicle is parked, to prevent distracted driving. The connected iPhone will be able to detect when the vehicle is in motion and end playback.

Apple says that automakers need to add support for CarPlay with AirPlay video, so it will likely take some time to roll out. It appears that the AirPlay functionality will be available for both regular CarPlay and the higher-end CarPlay Ultra, but it is unclear if it will be enabled in any existing vehicles, or if it will be limited to new vehicles.

From the CarPlay page on Apple's developer website:

Video in the car

AirPlay video in the car enables people to watch their favorite videos from iPhone right on their CarPlay display when they aren't driving. Integrate support for CarPlay with AirPlay video to enable this feature in your car.

This feature would be especially beneficial in electric vehicles with CarPlay, as it would provide the driver and any passengers with entertainment while they are parked at a charging station. Some electric vehicles already offer this capability natively. Tesla, for example, has long offered a Theater app that can play videos from apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, and Twitch on the dashboard screen, while the vehicle is parked.

Apple has not shared any further details or images for AirPlay video in the car. Availability of the feature might vary by country based on safety regulations.

There were already some unapproved ways to watch videos through CarPlay, with various jailbreak tweaks and TestFlight beta apps promising to unlock such functionality. Now, it is something that Apple will officially allow.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

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Top Rated Comments

victorvictoria Avatar
7 months ago
News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling devices to allow watching CarPlay videos while transmission is in drive! Yay!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
HighwaySnowman Avatar
7 months ago

Perfect for draining your car battery and then be stuck in the middle of the road. Classic example of
a solution in search of a problem.
Meh. Do you have any idea how many weeks of video playback it would take to drain an EV battery?

Even my plug-in hybrid would take days. Non-issue.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DEMinSoCAL Avatar
7 months ago

Perfect for draining your car battery and then be stuck in the middle of the road. Classic example of
a solution in search of a problem.
Does your car not have an alternator?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unggoy Murderer Avatar
7 months ago
I'm really pleased overall with the updates to CarPlay, seems like there's way more to it than just widgets and a new UI.

The Music app has been given a pretty big update too I've noticed.

Probably more but I'm paying attention to driving I suppose ?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
darngooddesign Avatar
7 months ago

News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling devices to allow watching CarPlay videos while transmission is in drive! Yay!
Perfect for causing accidents.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unggoy Murderer Avatar
7 months ago

News Flash! Vendors on eBay selling devices to allow watching CarPlay videos while transmission is in drive! Yay!
Wouldn't be surprised if the phone detects movement via gyroscope / accelerometer instead, and blocks it that way.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)