These days, smartphones feel just as essential to driving as the engine under the hood, as plenty of drivers don’t even pull out of the driveway without queuing up music, podcasts, or navigation apps. Services like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are essential considerations for new vehicle buyers, and Ford has taken notice. Ford CEO Jim Farley says that smartphone integration apps are here to stay – and Apple itself seems to appreciate how The Blue Oval handles things, even using the Ford Mustang EcoBoost to showcase CarPlay functionality in its recent keynote presentation.
The Ford Mustang EcoBoost infotainment system was featured front and center in Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2025 presentation as the smartphone manufacturer showed off updates to the service. CarPlay received some updates this year that make it even more “beautiful and even easier to use,” which are essential upgrades considering that over 600 million users access CarPlay every day.
The latest iOS brings updates both to the iPhone itself and the CarPlay display, including new icons, a compact design when a call comes through to prevent it from covering apps, along with live activities like flight statuses and more. Widgets are also being introduced, allowing drivers to experience a seamless integration between their handheld smartphone and their vehicles. The updates aim to make CarPlay safer and less distracting to access while driving.
Ford, for its part, is taking full advantage of Apple’s vehicle integration service. FordPass, which is the automaker’s smartphone app, is built right into the iOS control center, which allows owners of compatible vehicles the ability to control them with FordPass functions. For example, vehicle owners can add a specific function to a readily accessible position, like climate control toggles. Even the size can be altered to make it even simpler to use.
It’s interesting to note that while Ford has embraced third-party smartphone integration apps, its crosstown rival, General Motors, is moving toward an in-house app instead of CarPlay and Android Auto.
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I still find it sad the EcoBoost is the best looking/understated of the S650 generation. I’ve only ever owned v8 Mustangs and this is the first time I remember wishing they made a new GTS and just put a v8 in the EcoBoost styling.