Top Stories: CarPlay Ultra Debuts, iOS 18.5 Released, and More

Apple surprised us this week with the official launch of its more advanced “CarPlay Ultra” feature to provide greatly expanded functionality in cars, while the company also released iOS 18.5 and related operating system updates.

This week also saw Apple’s annual announcement of upcoming accessibility features for its products while we looked ahead to what else is coming at WWDC next month, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more!

Apple’s ‘CarPlay Ultra’ Experience Now Available

Nearly three years after Apple announced the next-generation version of CarPlay with deeper vehicle integration, CarPlay Ultra is finally here — if you can afford an Aston Martin. Many other brands, including new additions Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis, are working on support, however, so availability should significantly expand over time.

‌CarPlay‌ Ultra is designed to bring a consistent look and feel to the entire driving experience. It integrates more directly with the vehicle to provide information on all of the driver’s screens, featuring real-time content and gauges in the instrument cluster with options for the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and more. Drivers can choose to display information from the iPhone, such as maps and media, alongside information from the vehicle, such as advanced driver assistance systems and tire pressure.

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

As expected, Apple this week released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, relatively minor updates with only a few changes, feature additions, and bug fixes.

Related macOS Sequoia 15.5, watchOS 11.5, tvOS 18.5, and visionOS 2.5 updates were also released this week, and we’re expecting at least one more round of x.6 updates to the current major operating system versions as Apple prepares to unveil iOS 19 and friends at WWDC next month.

Apple Preparing to Launch Mind-Control Support for iPhones

It sounds like science fiction, but Apple is indeed working with neurotechnology startup Synchron to allow users with severe motor impairments to control their devices via neural signals detected by an implantable brain-computer device called the Stentrode.

The news comes as Apple has announced a wide range of new accessibility features coming to its products later this year. Based on previous patterns, most of these new and improved features will come with iOS 19 and related updates.

Top Five Announcements to Look Forward to at WWDC 2025

Time sure flies, and we’re now less than a month away from the 2025 Worldwide Developers Conference where Apple will introduce new software updates. Rumors are picking up ahead of the event, so we thought we’d highlight some of the updates that we’re looking forward to learning more about.

WWDC 2025 will begin with a keynote event on June 9 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple will have a live stream available, but we’ll also be providing coverage here on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account for those who aren’t able to watch.

Apple Acquisition Hints at Upgraded Calendar App on iOS 19 or Beyond

Apple acquired Canadian startup Mayday Labs in April 2024, according to a European Commission listing recently spotted by French blog MacGeneration.

Mayday Labs had developed an AI-powered calendar, task manager, and scheduling assistant for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The all-in-one app used AI to automatically schedule your events and tasks at ideal times, and it could learn your scheduling preferences and daily patterns over time to further optimize your calendar.

It would be reasonable to assume that some of Mayday’s features and technologies could be added to Apple’s Calendar app across the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, under the Apple Intelligence umbrella.

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to ‌Apple Music‌.

The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document.

Apple is partnering with SongShift for the new ‌Apple Music‌ feature. SongShift is an app that transfers music playlists across streaming platforms, but by working with Apple, the functionality has been integrated directly in the ‌Apple Music‌ app.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we’ve covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

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