iOS 27 introduces a new CarPlay video app category allowing users to browse and play videos on supported CarPlay displays, alongside major CarPlay framework enhancements including card thumbnails with overlays, a MiniPlayer for now playing, voice control overlays, and navigation panels.
ā¢ Video streaming apps can now offer a full browsing UI on CarPlay displays in cars that support the 'video in car' feature, unlocking a new surface for content discovery
ā¢ The new MiniPlayer for now playing templates is automatically shown for all CarPlay apps, improving the playback experience with zero code changes required
ā¢ New CPCardElement thumbnails with overlays, playback progress, and sports scores give all CarPlay apps richer list UIs previously impossible with the framework
Liquid Glass is Apple's new material and visual design language introduced in iOS 27, bringing translucent, refractive glass-like surfaces to system and custom UI elements. It replaces the frosted vibrancy aesthetic with a more dynamic, depth-aware material that responds to content beneath it.
iOS 27 brings a sweeping set of SwiftUI enhancements including Liquid Glass design adoption, new toolbar visibility and overflow APIs, document architecture improvements with Observable, and resizable iPhone app support ā all designed to modernize app UIs with minimal code changes.
Xcode 27 introduces a fully customizable toolbar and theme system, untitled scratch projects, coding agent integration directly in the editor, and the new Device Hub for evaluating apps across simulators and physical devices side-by-side.
In-depth guide
SwiftUI & Liquid Glass in iOS 27 āPaperKit is Apple's full-featured canvas framework ā previously internal-only ā now publicly available in iOS/macOS/visionOS 27. It powers the drawing and markup experience in Notes, Preview, and Freeform, giving developers access to a complete pencil, shapes, images, and text canvas with a rich data model.