Your iPhone Will Still Work in GM's New Trucks
GM will put new software in its 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2027 GMC Sierra 1500 later this year. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will still work. They will run in a small window on the screen, like a small TV box in the corner, instead of filling the whole display, according to details reported by The Verge.
Some versions will have more than 60 inches of screens in total. That total covers the screen behind the steering wheel, the main center screen and a screen for the passenger. Physical buttons stay for basic controls including heat and air conditioning.
Drivers can swipe down from the top of the touchscreen to switch phones, change settings and control privacy. The trucks will also help with towing. They include maps that understand trailers. The truck notices a connected trailer and Google Maps picks a route that fits it.
This is different from GM's electric cars. In 2023 the company said it planned to remove Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from its EVs with help from Google, as reported by Reuters. GM will also send a software update over the internet to add Apple Music to select 2025 and 2026 Chevrolet and Cadillac vehicles, according to MotorTrend.
The broader context here is two systems working side by side. The phone system runs phone apps. The truck's own system keeps driving information, the display behind the wheel and the trailer setup. The small window lets both show at once.
In my view, that setup helps trucks shared for work rather than a truck used by one owner. Drivers do not have to switch the whole screen during directions or trailer checks. Real buttons keep heat and air simple to adjust. For work fleets, the swipe-down menu matters because different drivers can switch phones and privacy settings quickly. If trailer details, route limits and music accounts live in the truck and update over the internet, daily driving gets simpler. The thing to watch is whether handoffs stay clean, permissions follow each phone, trailer information reaches the maps fast, and main tasks stay in sight. That will matter more than screen size for what owners can do.
