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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Short answer: Sidecar briefly offered a web browser and video player through CarPlay in April 2025, but Apple asked the developer to remove the feature the next day. Sidecar said purchasers could request refunds. It is therefore not a dependable way to watch streaming video in CarPlay today.
Apple has since described an official path for video apps and AirPlay video in CarPlay—but only in supported vehicles, with supported software, while the vehicle is parked. That is a qualified platform change, not universal video support for every CarPlay-equipped car.
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What Sidecar briefly added to CarPlay
Sidecar is an automotive-assistant app that supports CarPlay. On April 20, 2025, 9to5Mac reported that an update had exposed a feature called Park and Browse.
The feature was described as a web browser and video player intended for use through the CarPlay display when the vehicle was parked. It was not a normal, broadly approved CarPlay browser category such as navigation, audio, communication, parking, EV charging, or food ordering.
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Sidecar was free to download, while the browser and video capability reportedly required a $9.99 in-app purchase. The reported setup was unusual:
- Enter a website URL in Sidecar on the iPhone.
- Connect the iPhone to CarPlay.
- Open the relevant Sidecar feature from the CarPlay interface.
- Use the browser or video player only while parked.
Coverage characterized the browser and player as functional but limited, with room for improvement. The reporting does not establish reliable support for Netflix, YouTube, or every other streaming service, so it would be inaccurate to describe Sidecar as a universal CarPlay streaming solution.
Apple asked Sidecar to remove it
The workaround did not last. On April 21, 2025, Sidecar said Apple had directly asked it to remove the browser and video feature so the app would align with App Store guidelines. Sidecar’s removal and refund announcement followed the initial report by one day.
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Sidecar also said people who had paid to unlock the feature could request refunds. The practical result is important: the original App Store appearance was a short-lived exception or acceptance, not evidence that Apple had permanently approved general-purpose web browsing in CarPlay.
The current Sidecar listing focuses on vehicle widgets and car-assistant functions rather than the removed browser and video player. Anyone finding an old article promising that Sidecar can stream web video through CarPlay should treat that information as outdated.
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Why a general browser was vulnerable in CarPlay
CarPlay is not simply an iPhone screen mirrored onto a dashboard. Apple controls which app types can appear, what entitlements developers receive, and which interface templates they can use. Apple’s CarPlay developer documentation has traditionally centered on narrowly defined categories, including:
- Audio
- Communication
- Navigation
- Parking
- Electric-vehicle charging
- Food ordering
That controlled model is designed to keep dashboard interactions predictable and to limit distracting or unsuitable content while driving. A general web browser does not fit neatly into those categories. A browser can reach arbitrary sites, display changing layouts, and expose video content that Apple cannot treat like a conventional audio or navigation app.
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What changed in Apple’s later CarPlay plans
Apple’s public direction has since become more permissive—but also more structured. Its current CarPlay developer materials say that video apps can play content in supported cars when parked. Apple also describes AirPlay video in the car, allowing iPhone video to appear on a CarPlay display when the person is not driving.
Apple’s WWDC26 CarPlay developer session goes further by describing video apps that let people browse and watch content in supported vehicles while parked. This is an official implementation route for developers, rather than an app attempting to bring an unrestricted browser into a tightly controlled CarPlay environment.
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That does not mean that every existing CarPlay vehicle suddenly supports video. Apple’s wording is conditional, and availability depends on several separate pieces:
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| Requirement | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Compatible vehicle | The car’s infotainment system must support the relevant parked-video or AirPlay-video capability. |
| Compatible software | The vehicle, iPhone, and CarPlay software may need the appropriate feature and rollout. |
| Compatible app | The developer must build and distribute the app using Apple’s supported CarPlay video implementation. |
| Parked status | Video playback is intended for when the vehicle is stopped and the person is not driving. |
Those requirements mean “CarPlay now supports video” is too broad. The accurate version is: Apple is adding an official route for video in supported cars while parked.
Can you watch streaming video on CarPlay now?
Possibly, but only if your specific car, software, app, and region support Apple’s relevant capability. There is no basis in the supplied reporting for promising that every CarPlay system can play browser video or that all major streaming services work through it.
Before buying anything or relying on a headline, check:
- Your vehicle manufacturer’s documentation for parked video, CarPlay video, or AirPlay video support.
- Whether the feature requires a particular model year, infotainment system, iPhone version, or software update.
- Whether the individual video app supports Apple’s CarPlay implementation.
- Whether the feature is available in your country or region.
- Whether playback is blocked unless the vehicle is in Park or otherwise confirmed not to be moving.
If any one of those conditions is missing, an ordinary CarPlay connection will not necessarily provide a video player.
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Aftermarket alternatives: what a CarPlay video box can and cannot do
Some readers will be looking for an aftermarket route rather than waiting for Apple’s official rollout. A CarPlay video box or Android-based CarPlay AI box is the closest product category to that use case. For example, listings such as the OTTOCAST P3 describe app downloads and video functionality through a separate hardware box.
That is an aftermarket workaround, not an Apple-approved replacement for the official CarPlay video framework. Compatibility also matters: products in this category commonly require a vehicle with factory wired CarPlay, and they may not work with a car that has wireless-only CarPlay, an incompatible head unit, or a nonstandard infotainment system. Confirm the exact vehicle and head-unit requirements before purchasing.
Use any such product only when parked and follow local law, the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions, and the hardware maker’s safety guidance. Neither a video box nor the former Sidecar feature should be used to watch video while driving. The research behind the Sidecar report does not establish a universal legal standard for in-car video, so local rules still matter.
Do not confuse a wireless adapter with a video solution
A generic wireless CarPlay adapter converts a wired CarPlay connection to wireless. It does not, by itself, add a web browser, video player, or streaming-service support. If your goal is specifically parked video, a wireless adapter is the wrong category unless its documentation separately identifies video-box functionality.
Sidecar versus Apple’s official route
| Sidecar’s 2025 feature | Apple’s newer official direction | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Briefly appeared, then was removed after Apple’s request. | Publicly documented as an official developer path. |
| Interface | Web browser and video player accessed through Sidecar. | Supported CarPlay video apps and AirPlay video. |
| Availability | Not a current dependable feature; refunds were offered to purchasers. | Conditional on supported cars, software, apps, and rollout. |
| Driving limitation | Reportedly intended for parked use. | Explicitly described for when the vehicle is parked or the person is not driving. |
| Apple approval | Its appearance was short-lived and vulnerable under App Store rules. | Uses Apple’s defined implementation and compatibility requirements. |
What readers should take away
Sidecar did not establish a permanent CarPlay browser loophole. It briefly showed that a parked web browser and video player could appear in the App Store, then disappeared after Apple asked the developer to remove it. The $9.99 unlock was not a guarantee of continued access, and purchasers were told to seek refunds.
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The more significant development is Apple’s subsequent shift toward an official, controlled video experience. That may eventually be more useful and reliable than Sidecar, but it remains dependent on vehicle support and parked operation. Until your car and the particular app are confirmed as compatible, assume that standard CarPlay supports its traditional app categories—not unrestricted web browsing or universal streaming video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sidecar’s CarPlay browser still available?
No dependable current availability is established. Sidecar said on April 21, 2025, that Apple had asked it to remove the browser and video feature, and that people who paid for it could request refunds.
Did Sidecar support Netflix or every streaming service?
The reporting described a functional but limited web browser and video player. It did not establish reliable support for Netflix, YouTube, or every other streaming service, so those claims should not be assumed.
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Does CarPlay officially support video now?
Apple has described official video-app and AirPlay-video capabilities for supported cars when parked. This does not mean that every CarPlay vehicle, iPhone, or streaming app supports video.
Can I watch video through CarPlay while driving?
No. The Sidecar feature and Apple’s documented video direction are framed for parked use or when the person is not driving. Do not use video while the vehicle is moving, and follow applicable local law.
Will a wireless CarPlay adapter add video playback?
Not normally. A wireless adapter generally only converts wired CarPlay to wireless. It does not automatically add a browser or video player. A dedicated aftermarket CarPlay video box is a different product category and has its own compatibility limitations.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Sidecar’s CarPlay browser was a brief April 2025 experiment, not a lasting streaming-video solution. Apple later opened an official path for parked video in supported cars, but compatibility is not universal. Treat aftermarket video boxes as separate workarounds, verify factory wired-CarPlay compatibility, and never use video while driving.
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