It has been a few big months for Android Auto given that we have seen a whole new interface roll out which most users agree is a big step in the right direction. This last week we have seen a couple of new additions to the whole Android Auto ecosystem.
First up we saw an addition into the Android Auto help page which up until now only listed Google-made devices as compatible with wireless Android Auto. Now several Samsung devices have been added, all running Android 9.0 or higher:
| Phone Make and Model | Android Version |
|---|---|
| Pixel or Pixel XL | Android 8.0 or higher |
| Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL | Android 8.0 or higher |
| Pixel 3 or Pixel 3 XL | Android 8.0 or higher |
| Nexus 5X or 6P | Android 8.0 or higher |
| Samsung Galaxy S8 or S8+ | Android 9.0 or higher |
| Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+ | Android 9.0 or higher |
| Samsung Galaxy S10 or S10+ | Android 9.0 or higher |
| Samsung Note 8, Note 9 and Note 10 | Android 9.0 or higher |
A while back we wrote about how there was a way to get wireless Android Auto running on phones other than those Google lists. Thanks to Kenwood we have been testing out the process required and can confirm that it does in fact work with non-Pixel and Samsung phones — so far we have tested it on OnePlus and OPPO devices with it working on all devices with varying success. More on that as the testing continues in the coming weeks.
Kenwood have also told us that next year their devices here in Australia will officially support wireless Android Auto. At the moment it is only via the beta form of Android Auto which will work. Look out for these aftermarket head units next year and our review of wireless Android Auto in the coming weeks.
Also this week Android Police pulled apart the new version, v4.7, of the app and found a heap of bug fixes to the new interface along with a new ability to toggle media notifications. At this stage they have not been able to figure out exactly what this toggle actually changes but it is possible that it is something that needs to be turned on by Google themselves server-side.
Along with this toggle there will be a new feature to be able filter the apps that show in the launcher — such as Telegram showing in the media apps. It is unclear whether default apps and non-app entries will be able to be hidden but time will tell.
You can of course check out the new app from APK mirror and try out these new settings for yourself once they become available from Google.
While it is good to see Google really pushing development of their driving app this year, hopefully we start to see more wireless Android Auto head units hit our shores soon along with all these other much-needed fixes and features. Next up might well be their Assistant’s Driving Mode. Who is looking forward to that one?