A Never-Ending Nightmare: They Spent $1K on a Top Android Phone and Can't Run Android Auto

Some devices wearing Samsung's badge are premium models carrying premium price tags, and the Galaxy S lineup is living proof. Samsung Galaxy S23 is the latest model, often considered the top alternative to Apple's iPhone.

The base Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra sports 256GB of storage and costs $1,199. The upgraded model with 512GB can be yours for $1,379 in the United States, while the top-of-the-range configuration comes with 1TB of storage and a $1,619 price tag.

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has become a common choice for Samsung buyers, and anyone spending more than $1,600 on the flagship model agrees to pay extra specifically to get the best in the Samsung world. However, as many discovered the hard way, money doesn’t make a difference in the Android Auto world.

The Samsung Galaxy S23 series has been plagued by Android Auto glitches for nearly a year. A new model – likely to launch as Galaxy S23 – is just around the corner, so buyers have been struggling with a buggy Android Auto experience for nearly a year. Neither Samsung nor Google managed to ship timely updates, so the experience with Android Auto on such an expensive device has left a lot to be desired.

Now, the Galaxy S23 is again struggling with a wave of bugs.

It all started in late 2023 when Samsung kicked off the One UI 6.0 rollout. The major update includes Android 14, Google's latest operating system, which is already causing several connection problems on Android Auto.

One UI 6.0 breaks down Android Auto either partially or completely, leading to random disconnects, broken apps, or no connectivity at all. Users have been complaining for weeks of such problems, suggesting they have already become widespread. You can find dozens of reports on Google's forums (here, here, and here) but also on social media, where everybody keeps looking for a fix.

You can imagine that hitting another bug after struggling with Android Auto for nearly a year on your $1K smartphone can't be good news. Some say they'd no longer stick with Android when it's time for a new smartphone, hoping CarPlay would offer a more refined experience behind the wheel (spoiler: it does not, as the debut of the USB-C iPhone 15 produced connection problems that have long been exclusive to Android Auto).

Most bug reports from Samsung users claim the update to One UI 6.0 broke down the wireless Android Auto connection, so the only workaround is to switch to a cable. However, the fix doesn't always bring things back to normal, as others claim that Android Auto seems dead as if the head unit doesn't recognize the mobile device.

Google has already asked for more information on these problems, but if the latest One UI update is to blame, Samsung should start a separate investigation, too.

Unfortunately, all these struggles prove that spending extra on a premium device makes no sense in terms of Android Auto stability and reliability. Some users who encountered the broken connection with a Galaxy S23 claim everything runs correctly with other more affordable Samsung phones. In some cases, even turning to much older models allows them to run Android Auto flawlessly.

I also own a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, but my experience so far has been mixed. I didn't experience broken connectivity after the update to One UI 6.0, but I previously encountered other connection bugs throughout the year. I occasionally had to switch from wireless to wired, as the phone was no longer detected by the head unit after updates released by Google or Samsung.

I currently use Android Auto wirelessly, and my phone is up-to-date, so the flawless experience seems to indicate that the aforementioned problems don't impact everybody. It's impossible to tell what causes the connection error, but Google and Samsung should accelerate the investigation because the number of users reporting issues keeps growing as the One UI rollout continues.

With a new Samsung Galaxy S model around the corner, it's safe to say some of those people struggling with Android Auto despite having a flagship phone aren't interested in an upgrade. It can't be good news for Samsung, and at some level, it also affects Google. A switch to CarPlay is seen by many as a possible solution, as no driver wants to lose the connection between the phone and the infotainment system in the middle of the drive.

If you own a Samsung Galaxy S23 and struggle with Android Auto due to various issues, make sure you drop us a line in the comment box below. You should also share your One UI version and any potential fix that could bring things back to normal, as I'm sure an increasing number of users are currently searching online for ways to restore Android Auto.