146: CarPlay Ultra and Samsung’s iPhone 17 Air Rival

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May 16, 2025

Discover the groundbreaking features of Apple CarPlay Ultra, which now fully integrates with vehicle displays and allows for extensive customization. Excitingly, it's set to debut in new Aston Martin models, with more automakers on board. Meanwhile, Samsung counters with the Galaxy S25 Edge, boasting a sleek design and impressive camera specs aimed at rivaling the upcoming iPhone 17 Air. The discussion touches on consumer preferences, battery life innovations, and the competition shaping the future of smartphones.

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INSIGHT

Apple CarPlay Ultra Revolutionizes Infotainment

Apple CarPlay Ultra extends across all vehicle displays with deep vehicle integration and iPhone widgets.
It provides a much better and more customizable infotainment experience than many car manufacturers' native systems.

ADVICE

Use CarPlay Widgets for Info

Add iPhone widgets to a car's center display with CarPlay Ultra for fast info access.
Configuring widgets like calendar and weather improves driver convenience without distraction.

INSIGHT

Automakers' Reluctance To Adopt CarPlay Ultra

Automakers hesitate to implement CarPlay Ultra due to concerns over control and support for non-iPhone users.
They fear losing uniqueness and face complexity of supporting multiple software ecosystems and fallback systems.

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On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss the long-awaited roll out of Apple CarPlay Ultra and Samsung's all-new S25 Edge, which is positioned to rival the iPhone 17 Air later this year.

Apple this week announced CarPlay Ultra, its next-generation ‌CarPlay‌ experience. ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra fully extends across all of the vehicle's display, including the instrument cluster. It provides access to real-time vehicle data, supports iPhonewidgets, theme options, instrument cluster display customizations, and introduces integrations for vehicle functions.

‌CarPlay‌ Ultra is available first in new Aston Martin models in North America. Existing Aston Martin vehicles will also support ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra through forthcoming software updates. Looking ahead, Apple says it has secured commitments from Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis to bring ‌CarPlay‌ Ultra to their vehicles in the coming year. Other automakers are expected to follow.

In other news, Samsung this week announced the Galaxy S25 Edge — a device clearly designed to undercut the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌'s expected appeal, with both smartphones aiming to be the thinnest in their respective ecosystems.

The Galaxy S25 Edge sports a 6.7-inch AMOLED display, a titanium frame, and a remarkably slim 5.8mm profile, weighing in at just 163 grams. It features a dual-lens camera system, including a 200MP wide-angle sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide camera, supported by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. Samsung is also pushing its AI credentials with features like Drawing Assist and Audio Eraser.

In contrast, the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ is rumored to be even thinner at just 5.5mm, making it Apple's slimmest ‌iPhone‌ ever. It is expected to feature a 6.6-inch OLED display with ProMotion. Apple is said to be removing the ultra-wide camera entirely and opting for a single 48MP wide camera, removing the SIM card tray, and the secondary stereo speaker to save internal space. Other expected specifications include a 24MP front-facing camera, 12GB of RAM, and the A19 chip.

While the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌ may win the title of thinnest flagship, it could come with a major compromise: battery life. According to internal testing leaks, only 60–70% of users are expected to get through a full day on a single charge — a notable drop from the 80–90% seen with other recent ‌iPhone‌ models. Apple is reportedly using a higher-density battery and its custom C1 modem to squeeze as much efficiency as possible into the super-thin design.

To address this, Apple is reportedly developing a new USB-C battery case, designed to extend the ‌iPhone 17 Air‌'s runtime. The accessory could launch alongside the device to help mitigate negative perceptions around longevity