Because it can replicate the iPhone interface on the screens of a driver’s automobile, Apple’s in-car user interface (UI) is among the most well-liked on the market. It is supposedly headed toward even greater things, though, as its forthcoming “next generation” is supported to become even more branded-friendly while providing Apple-grade management over features like media, route planning, and air conditioning.
Nevertheless, Apple is supposedly working on making it a strong competitor to Android Automotive, a genuine cross-platform operating system that is installed in cars from brands like BMW and Polestar. This means that it might get even more potent in later versions.
It is anticipated that the upcoming CarPlay (or carOS, maybe?) version would be significantly more configurable and integrate more deeply into a specific car.
As such, the project—rumoredly code-named “Project IronHeart” at Cupertino—may aid in recycling any software development that Apple Car might have accomplished before the real car was abandoned.
However, as Mark Gurman of Bloomberg notes, this upcoming CarPlay version may only go so far without the proprietary chipsets that often go along with an Apple OS in order to provide the OEM’s customary flawless first-party “magic”.
In addition, Project IronHeart might end up as the lesser of the company’s priorities, as Gurman concedes there is little evidence of attempts to monetize the new service thus far.
In addition, it may see limited market share due to the less than attainable nature of its uptake: for example, the only vehicle with a confirmed real-world 2024 CarPlay upgrade thus far is the ~$245,000 Aston Martin DB12.
