During Google’s annual developers conference, the company had teased the new Android Auto software that would entirely run on your Android phones eliminating the need for a new car or aftermarket dashboard display and today Google has finally started rolling out the Android Auto App for all Android users. The new updated Android App replaces the existing app and brings streamlined completely easy to use interface which should be real easy while your driving.
The new app also limits the number of notification alerts that you see while driving and also includes the feature to read out the messages and dictate replies with your voice. The new Android Auto APP just has four icons at the bottom of the screen for Maps, phone calls, audio, and a home button. The Home button maps back to Android Auto screen instead of your home screen when you’re driving. At the top of the interface, you find a menu button and a microphone icon for easy access. The App also shows a series of cards like Spotify, weather in your current location, and directions to your destination apart from the four icons mentioned above.
Google has confirmed that all the 500 apps that had support for previous Android Auto app will also support the new Android Auto APP, meaning apps like WhatsApp, Spotify, Pandora, and Pocket Casts will all work. The App is free to download and will work with any Android phone running Android 5.1 Lollipop and above and will be available in 30 countries. Though the new Android Auto App sounds cool, its always-on functionality might drain your battery life. However, Mickey Kataria, director of product management for Maps and Android Auto, claims that using Android Auto would only drain battery life a “tiny bit more” than traditional Maps app.
Another downside to Android Auto App is that it lacks “Ok Google” command support at this moment, but Google says that it will be rolled out in the coming days, no timeline mentioned for the same. Google’s own made Maps app Waze is yet to get the Android Auto support as there is no clear timeline mentioned for the same. The Google’s Android Auto is shipped to more than 200 car models this year compared to Apple’s CarPlay that is available in nearly 180 car models.
