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| Google is removing Android Auto from phone screens |
Google has confirmed that with the introduction of Android 12, the standalone Android Auto app for mobile screens will be closed.
The company launched Android Auto in 2014 to enable smartphones to interact with car stereos.
When your phone is connected to a compatible car stereo, it will display an enhanced car player that you can quickly access to select the right multimedia and navigation apps for your trip.
Do not use the Android Auto app on the phone screen. Anyone wishing to provide their Android phone with an intuitive user interface should use the Google Assistant driving mode available in Google Maps or the native Android Auto user interface in some cars.
For those using the mobile experience (Android Auto mobile app), the company said in a statement. You enter Driving View in the Google Assistant. From Android 12, the Google Assistant driving mode is an integrated mobile driving experience.
The company said the experience won't change for anyone using Android Auto in a compatible car. The company confirmed reports that some users saw a message on the phone screen on the Android Auto app that the service is now available for car screens only. Guide mobile users as an alternative to Google Assistant driving mode.
Meanwhile, other reports indicated that the Android Auto mobile screen app is now not compatible with Pixel devices running Android 12.
The history of the Android Auto app is a little bewildering. But it's a move that should have happened a long time ago.
Google is removing Android Auto from phone screens
The story began in 2019 when the company decided to integrate most of the Android Auto features into Android 10 as system-wide features. And close the previously downloaded app.
This is useful for anyone with an Android Auto compatible car. However, not everyone who owns an old car can access the comfortable driving interface directly via the phone.
For these users, the company plans to introduce a new behavior for the Google Assistant. But the plan was postponed.
Although announced in 2019, the company debuted late last year (and then expanded internationally).
This means that Google needs some temporary measures. Hence the Android Auto app for mobile screens. The company described it at the time as a temporary solution for users who needed an in-car experience. But there is a shortage of Android Auto compatible cars.