CarPlay doesn’t ordinarily allow users to play YouTube videos on a vehicle’s CarPlay-compatible head unit, but a new app called CarTubePlus by osk3apps screws the rules and lets you do it anyhow.
Update: There was some speculation that this could have been “stolen code” from Avangelista’s CarTube app, which was made in collaboration with sourcelocation, but both parties have decided to work things out as it appears not to be the case.
As discussed in a post shared to /r/jailbreak, CarTubePlus is currently in its beta stages and strives to be a feature-rich YouTube client designed especially for CarPlay that lets you watch videos right from the screen built into your car’s dashboard.
Using CarTubePlus doesn’t require a jailbreak since it is an .ipa file that can be perma-signed on your device using TrollStore.
Among the things that you can expect with CarTubePlus are:
- Watch YouTube videos and playlists directly from your CarPlay system
- Extremely stable interface and user experience
- Search for videos with a simple on-screen keyboard
- Comment on videos and engage with the YouTube community
- Watch YouTube Shorts
- Partial support for non-touch screen CarPlay head units
- And more…
We think the project is best not only because it unlocks the ability to watch YouTube videos right from the comfort of your vehicle’s CarPlay-enabled head unit, but also because it lets you browse and interact with the YouTube experience there too. Much of this requires a touch screen-compatible head unit, but if you don’t have one of those, the developer says there is a workaround.
The developer credits iOS developer Avangelista for their CarTube app, which appears to have sparked major inspiration for the development of CarTubePlus and also RayanKahn for their advice and support during the project’s development.
CarTubePlus will be a free download for everyone when it comes out of beta, but to access the project early in its beta stages, you will need to join the open beta via the developer’s Patreon channel.
More information about CarTubePlus, as well as a brief F.A.Q. section, can be found on the project’s website.
Note: Please be advised that while iDB is proud to cover neat releases like CarTubePlus, watching videos in the car while driving is considered unlawful in various regions around the world. If you will be using CarTubePlus, you your vehicle should be parked in a safe and stationary position where you won’t pose a risk to yourself or those around you.
Are you excited about CarTubePlus and being able to watch videos right from the convenience of your vehicle’s CarPlay-enabled head unit? Let us know in the comments section down below.