Apple CarPlay is a fantastic piece of tech that allows a vehicle's infotainment screen to mimic the driver's iPhone's screen, except for one glaring issue: Users can't pull up third-party navigation apps such as Waze.
On Monday Apple announced that its latest iOS operating system—iOS 12—will remedy this oversight.
While the Silicon Valley tech company was light on details, a screen grab of CarPlay running off iOS 12 flashed across the stage's screen showing both Google-owned Waze and Google Maps along with Chinese-based navigation Autonavi.
The lack of Waze integration has been a sore point for Apple users living with CarPlay, while Google Android Auto users have had the ability to use Waze since late 2017.
Automakers have recognized the lack of Waze on CarPlay, and some have gotten creative as of late. Ford created a work around allowing iPhone users access Waze via the automaker's Sync 3 infotainment system in May.
It's unclear at this point whether vehicles on the road today with CarPlay will require a software update from a dealership to allow third party navigation support or whether it will work off of iOS 12 on an iPhone alone. Apple did say that iOS 12 will work on all devices able to run iOS 11, which means the iPhone 5S and newer.
Apple will release iOS 12 as a free upgrade to iPhone and iPad users this fall.
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
