Learn everything about sports mode on CarPlay, which lets apps display real-time stats for live sporting events on the Now Playing interface while streaming audio.
Apple’s WWDC 2025 video for developers discussed the new features in CarPlay and its recently introduced premium version, CarPlay Ultra, coming this fall alongside iOS 26. It also shares details about the new CarPlay sports mode that turns your vehicle’s dashboard into a live scoreboard, which debuted alongside iOS 18.4
Sports mode permits CarPlay audio apps to show a scoreboard for the game along with the audio controls in the NowPlaying interface on the CarPlay screen. The experience includes a split-screen Now Playing interface showing scores for both teams, in addition to the game clock, team logos and other relevant details.
What is CarPlay sports mode? How does it work?
“The sports mode represents a layout for now playing suited to live-streaming or recorded playback of a sporting event that features exactly two teams,” Apple explains. These features, intended for events that consist of two teams, are available to CarPlay audio apps on iOS 18 or later.
Sports mode can also show game updates alongside navigation or music, with information about each team shown on the left and right side and a large colorful image, color gradient or crossfade image in the background.
A compatible app can adjust scores, possession indicators, standings and other metadata anytime during live or pre-recorded audio playback. “If you are streaming a pre-recorded event, your playback controls may allow time-shifting,” Apple notes in the video. “When time-shifting occurs, ensure your app sends an update with the metadata that corresponds to the new playback position.”
Compatible apps can even stream spatial audio with Dolby Atmos to CarPlay via AirPlay, provided the vehicle’s sound system supports these surround sound formats. Apple provides the CPNowPlayingModeSports API for developers with iOS 18.4 and later to implement these features into their apps.
Apple released iOS 18.4 on March 28, 2024. Aside from the reimagined Now Playing interface for sports apps, the update also brings improvements such as a new Ambient Music feature, AI-powered priority notifications, Apple News+ Food, etc.
New CarPlay features on iOS 26
iOS 26 brings several CarPlay improvements. For example, you can wirelessly stream videos from your iPhone to the CarPlay screen via AirPlay on supported vehicles when your vehicle is parked. This will be especially useful for owners of electric vehicles to kill time while sitting in the car and waiting until it recharges.
For the first time ever, CarPlay on iOS 26 will let you zoom and pan in mapping and navigation apps on compatible vehicles equipped with multi-touch displays. There’s also a new setting, Smart Display Zoom, which causes CarPlay to rearrange its interface to fit the size and shape of the in-car screen, which gives you an extra row of app icons on some screens.
Additional CarPlay features mentioned in our WWDC25 roundup include a glassy design overhaul of the CarPlay interface, a compact incoming call banner that doesn’t obstruct turn-by-turn directions, Tapbacks (emoji reactions) and pinned conversations in the Messages app, interactive widgets and real-time updates from apps via live activities.
And for AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 owners, CarPlay on iOS 26 brings seamless audio switching; just wear your earbuds and CarPlay will automatically switch the audio to the in-car speaker system when you sit in the vehicle and turn the key. Audio automatically switches back to your AirPods as you exit the vehicle.