The first trial of CarPlay Ultra in an Aston Martin has deemed Apple’s in-car upgrade a massive success, even if car manufacturers will be wary of handing over the UI reins. The next-generation interface expands the iPhone-based interface across multiple displays on the dashboard, and promises a more cohesive experience for drivers. One of the first topics is car manufacturer personalization and control. Not all manufacturers are keen on using the new CarPlay, due to the way it dominates all of the available screens, including the instrument panel. This resistance has led to Apple working to make CarPlay Ultra as acceptable as possible, by offering as much customization as possible. Apple’s implementation is to provide a set of templates, so that the manufacturers can tailor how the various elements of the interfaces appear within CarPlay Ultra itself. CarPlay Ultra is more than just using the interface on an increasing number of displays in a vehicle. Some of the elements are still iPhone-hosted services as before, but now it incorporates data points and controls sourced from the car itself, referred to as “local UI.” Elements such as speed and fuel level are incorporated into Apple’s interface, which is then shown to the driver. On top of that is “punch-through UI,” which refers to some elements from the car’s native infotainment system to work directly, with minimal interference from CarPlay itself. This can take the form of things such as a car’s reversing camera, handled by the onboard system but displayed within CarPlay itself without extra elements. Apple also upgraded how CarPlay itself interfaces with the iPhone itself. To get the new CarPlay Ultra working, you need an iPhone 12 or later, running on iOS 18.4 or newer. Furthermore, while earlier CarPlay could use wired and wireless connections with the iPhone depending on the setup, CarPlay Ultra works entirely wirelessly by default. The booting process prioritizes the instrument panel display first, so that the driver can use the vehicle, even if other CarPlay Ultra elements take a little longer to get going. There is a default layout, but drivers can also switch between a few options on the fly. This includes altering the visual style without changing item placement for a few of them. The main infotainment screen doesn’t seem to have changed that much at first glance. Existing CarPlay users will be familiar with how it works and appears, but changes can quickly become apparent. With local UI in use, the in-car functions now appear within CarPlay, without needing to exit it. Users can also customize the appearance of CarPlay from the screen. The slickness, integration, and Apple familiarity are plus points for an interface, something car manufacturers frequently struggle to get right.
Circle to Search in Android to now capture the whole screen to “generate suggestions and results” and automatically add it to the upcoming text query
The “search box” in Circle to Search in Android will now use your whole screen to “generate suggestions and results.” Previously, launching Circle to Search and tapping the pill-shaped field would let you enter a new text query, like any other Search box on Android. Google is now changing the behavior so that CtS will capture your entire screen and automatically add it to the upcoming text query. Instead of a general text search, you’ll now “Ask about this image.” If you just want to “Search anything” (like before), you have to first remove the image by tapping on it twice in the box. Some users might not like the extra step to perform a regular search from anywhere on your device. This new approach complements Circle to Search’s targeted queries without users having to manually expand the capture area, though this update appears to make that easier by letting you just tap anywhere to cover the entire screen.
Study shows only 18% of US consumers are comfortable with AI-driven features, while 71% are uncomfortable with AI tools
Only 18% of US consumers are comfortable with AI-driven features, while 71% are uncomfortable with AI tools. The study also revealed that one in three consumers prioritize price over brand loyalty. While shoppers are open to AI being used for customer service and product discovery, only 8% believe convenience will impact their buying experience. Loyalty programs are valued at 49%, with 36% wanting added incentives like free shipping or buy now, pay later options. Additional findings include: 67% of Gen Z consumers (ages 16-26) are likely to sign up for subscription services from retailers they shop with. When shopping on a marketplace, 30% of millennials (ages 27-42) are looking for new brands to try, compared to 18% of Gen X and just 9% of Baby Boomers. 40% of Baby Boomers express discomfort with AI chatbots, compared to 24% of millennials (ages 27-42) and 25% of Gen Z.
Apple is now requiring developers to list their app’s accessibility features; new accessibility features include live captions, personal voice replication, improved reading tools, braille reader improvements, and “nutrition labels”
Apple has announced new accessibility features for iOS, focusing on people with vision or hearing impairments. The company downplays the notion that the price of Apple hardware means accessibility comes at a cost, stating that it is built into its operating system for free. The new features include live captions, personal voice replication, improved reading tools, braille reader improvements, and “nutrition labels” in the app store. Developers will be required to list the accessibility features their app has, such as voiceover, voice control, or large text. Apple’s senior director of global accessibility policy and initiatives, Sarah Herrlinger, said that the nutrition labels would encourage developers to enable more accessibility options in the future. The company also improved its magnifier app, allowing users to zoom in on screens or whiteboards in lectures to read presentations. New braille features include note-taking with a braille screen input or a compatible braille device, and allow for calculation using Nemeth braille. The new personal voice feature can recreate a user’s voice using just 10 phrases, and the voice replication will be password-coded and remain on the device unless backed up to iCloud.
Gemini app’s redesign on Android and iOS moves away from ‘minimalist’ to match web UI; includes rounded rectangle prompt bar, shorter menu with four pill-shaped buttons
Following the web redesign and other changes, Google is introducing a new prompt bar for the Gemini app on Android and iOS. Gemini is going from a pill-shaped text field to a rounded rectangle (even before you enter text). Underneath the “Ask Gemini” field, you get a row of actions, starting with the ‘plus’ menu that’s now much shorter. You just get Camera, Gallery, Files, and Drive in this bottom sheet. Next up are pill-shaped buttons for “Research” and “Canvas.” Tap the three-dot icon in a circle to see those items in list form with brief descriptions, as well as “Video” (Veo 2 generation). Chips will stay highlighted upon tap. Deep Research: Get in-depth reports; Canvas: Create docs and code; Video: Generate with Veo. If you open the model picker, Google has removed Deep Research and Veo 2 (for Advanced subscribers). They are better thought of as Gemini capabilities than general-purpose models, with the new chips having the benefit of being always visible. As such, the menu is now down to four models: 2.0 Flash: Fast all-around help; 2.5 Flash (preview): Our next reasoning model built for speed; 2.5 Pro (preview): Reasoning, math & code; Personalization (preview): Based on your Search history. The voice input microphone and Gemini Live button round out this prompt bar redesign. Overall, it’s not as minimalist as before, but allows Google to introduce more features and matches the web UI. It’s also rolling out to the Gemini app for iPhone and iPad. Google is using this redesign to switch to standard iOS menus.
Onboarding metrics- Time To First Value, Onboarding CSAT, Customer Outcome Achievement, and Onboarding Risks, should regularly be reported in leadership meetings and board decks
Onboarding is a critical metric in software companies, often overlooked in discussions about annual recurring revenue (ARR), churn, customer acquisition cost (CAC), and customer lifetime value (LTV). It is the first step in the customer journey and defines every subsequent experience. A great onboarding experience can reinforce customers’ decisions, while a confusing one can erode trust. Great onboarding creates upstream value, as it leads to expansion, retention, and referrals. Positive customer metrics are often downstream of onboarding, such as expansion, retention, and referrals. Companies should regularly report onboarding performance in leadership meetings and board decks, as it is an important leading indicator of customer health, revenue growth, and operational efficiency. Some onboarding metrics suggested by the author include Time To First Value, Onboarding Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Customer Outcome Achievement, and Onboarding Risks. These metrics are not vanity metrics but early warning systems for potential issues. Onboarding should be a cross-functional effort that spans product, sales, marketing, and leadership. Product needs to ensure an intuitive experience, sales set realistic expectations, marketing supports post-sale engagement, and leadership invests in tools, processes, and people to make it work at scale. Ignoring onboarding can lead to wasted CAC, delayed launches, and dissatisfied customers. Companies that nail onboarding often see faster time to revenue recognition, higher net retention, new champions, and use cases. Treating onboarding like a mirror can help companies identify misalignment, friction, and missed opportunities. By investing in onboarding, companies can become growth engines and revenue levers, leading to better financial outcomes.
Siro’s AI-driven coaching for in-person sales teams offers real-time transcription, performance analytics, and industry-specific training models
Startup Siro has secured $50 million in a Series B round led by SignalFire with participation from Dick Costolo and Adam Bain’s VC firm 01 Advisors. Siro transcribes sales meetings via an app. Features include a company-wide dashboard where sales folks can submit successful calls and sort them by engagement from peers, allowing other reps to listen to top calls and get insights about improving on-ground sales visits. Siro trains models for specific industry verticals — for example, for HVAC sales coaching. The company also uses a general-purpose model to gauge how a salesperson is building rapport and handling rejections. Wayne Hu, a partner at SignalFire, said that the VC firm always wants to invest in companies that have a strong business advantage in data for particular segments. “Siro’s solution is helping digitize the ‘dark matter’ of offline conversations comprising field sales engagements, which has broad extensibility across verticals and depth in downstream actions that can be instrumented from this data, such as customer and product insights,” he told.
Qualified unveils Spotlight: The industry’s first observation layer for agentic B2B marketing- understanding each lead—who they are, which role they hold, and where they are in the buying journey
Qualified, the agentic marketing platform with the world’s leading AI SDR agent, will unveil Spotlight, the industry’s first observation layer for agentic marketing. Spotlight offers customers a new contextual view of Piper the AI SDR Agent. B2B marketers can now see AI transparency in action, including how Piper thinks, reasons, and strategizes for every unique buyer, as she autonomously generates pipeline at scale. This innovation ensures trust and confidence as marketers integrate AI agents into their teams and workflows. No two user Spotlights are the same—Piper formulates a unique game plan for every buyer, executing hundreds of thousands of strategies simultaneously to maximize conversion. Qualified’s first-of-its-kind Agentic Marketing Platform helps marketers leverage agents to drive scalable pipeline generation. At its center sits Piper the AI SDR Agent, who engages with and converts all qualified leads, autonomously and at scale. With Spotlight, marketers can observe: Lead Context: Piper the AI SDR Agent understands each lead—who they are, which role they hold, and where they are in the buying journey—informing tailored selling experiences. Account Context: Piper understands key account data—their segment, buying committee, and level of intent—delivering an account-based sales motion; Piper rolls lead and account data into one unified view, helping her sell to the whole buyer versus separate leads and accounts. Behavior Monitoring: Piper tracks how buyers are engaging across the website, email inbox, and online, and adjusts her strategy accordingly. Goals and Guardrails: Piper operates toward specific goals for each unique buyer and within the guardrails outlined by marketing, working towards targets of meetings booked and pipeline generated.
Vercel’s AI model enables creating independent, scalable web-based checkout systems on developers’ own domains by offering customisable template with frontend components through API
The team behind Vercel’s V0, an AI-powered platform for web creation, has developed an AI model it claims excels at certain website development tasks. Available through an API, the model, called “v0-1.0-md,” can be prompted with text or images, and was “optimized for front-end and full-stack web development,” the Vercel team says. Currently in beta, it requires a V0 Premium plan ($20 per month) or Team plan ($30 per user per month) with usage-based billing enabled. Vercel’s model can “auto-fix” common coding issues, the Vercel team says, and it’s compatible with tools and SDKs that support OpenAI’s API format. Evaluated on web development frameworks like Next.js, the model can ingest up to 128,000 tokens in one go. The launch of V0’s model comes as more developers and companies look to adopt AI-powered tools for programming.
Korl’s AI agent for sales teams creates customized presentations for customers by understanding the strengths and outcomes of each product, and then matching this understanding with the needs of each customer
Customer success software startup Korl is on a mission to help businesses of all sizes unlock more revenue growth opportunities after raising $5 million in seed funding to coincide with the general availability of its platform. The startup is leveraging AI to help companies better communicate the value of their products and services to customers, so they can use whatever insights it pulls up to increase sales. To do this, it has built a novel “presentation agent” that creates customized presentations for customers at critical milestones, such as executive business reviews and renewal conversations. The agent works by crafting a presentation that addresses each customer’s top concerns, highlighting how the company’s products and services can make a difference. In some ways, it can be thought of as a bridge between a company’s internal tools and its communication strategy, guiding the way it talks to customers. It attempts to understand the strengths of each product and the outcomes it can generate, and then matches this understanding with the needs of each customer. For instance, it will assess the customer’s business priorities, usage history and lifecycle stage, so companies can better understand how they’re able to help them.