The apps you get
Apple’s tech specs page for the HomeView lists all the apps that it comes with, along with four additional Apple apps that are “Available from iPhone.”
Apple
Though it is not explicitly stated, it seems that the four apps available from your iPhone all operate via their CarPlay interface. (The giveaway is AudioBooks, which is Books on all other devices.) All those apps now have CarPlay support, mostly for audio experiences. For example, you can’t read e-books with Books or news articles with News, but you can listen to audiobooks or listen to news briefs.
CarPlay on your desk
What if you use Spotify for music or podcasts? Or Overcast? Or Audible for audiobooks? What if you want to watch a YouTube video or Netflix?
Apple has a solution for this, and it’s kind of clever. Existing audio and video apps that support CarPlay will automatically be available on HomeView, without the developer needing to do anything at all. If a developer doesn’t want their app to appear on Apple’s smart hub, they can disallow it using the disfavoredLocations function, but otherwise, all music, podcast, audiobook, and video apps that support CarPlay will work on your HomeView streaming from your iPhone just as they would if you were in a car.
Apple
Apple’s CarPlay developer site has already been updated to mention how CarPlay audio and video apps work with HomeView.
This is a great idea. The simplified CarPlay interface that apps use is more appropriate for this kind of device, which is meant for simple consumption and not for editing your next great playlist. And developers can support both cars and HomeView all at once in the apps they already publish to the App Store. If they already support CarPlay, they don’t even have to update their app.
