Apple is set to introduce a new AI-adjacent feature in iOS 26.4, surprising many who expected it to arrive in iOS 27. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple will open the door to third-party chatbots on the CarPlay dashboard with this update.

While there are no visible signs of this feature in the initial betas, developers can expect Apple to provide the necessary frameworks for third-party chatbots to be integrated. Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic will need to update their iPhone apps to extend them to CarPlay, potentially leading to a race to be the first on users’ dashboards.

Apple has officially announced the addition of “voice-based conversational apps” to its CarPlay Developer Guide, marking the first new app category since iOS 16. These apps have specific guidelines to minimize distractions for drivers, focusing primarily on voice interaction.

Voice-based conversational apps on CarPlay will have limited interface options, with only two levels of navigation below the main screen. They must optimize for voice interaction and are restricted to basic UI elements like action sheets and lists. However, they can show a “point of interest” screen with nearby locations and a mini-map.

Apple is updating its CarPlay voice control template in iOS 26.4 to support conversational apps better, allowing up to four action buttons related to the current conversation. While users won’t be able to replace Siri with another chatbot yet, they can manually launch alternative chatbots from the CarPlay screen.

The release of ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude on CarPlay is expected after the public launch of iOS 26.4 in late March or early April. Developers can start working on CarPlay-compatible versions now, following Google’s quick adaptation to new iOS features in the past.

In addition to voice-based conversational apps, iOS 26.4 will also introduce public safety apps for specific organizations like firefighters and law enforcement. These apps focus on dispatch, routing, and vehicle/location search, catering to the needs of public safety organizations.

Overall, the addition of voice-based conversational apps and public safety apps in iOS 26.4 showcases Apple’s commitment to enhancing the CarPlay experience with new and innovative features. Developers and users alike can look forward to a more engaging and functional CarPlay ecosystem in the near future.

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