Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Google has just released a new beta build of Android Auto as the company keeps working on refining the experience following the launch of Coolwalk.
Android Auto 9.1 is now shipping to users enrolled in the beta testing program. Thanks to the APK installer, however, all users can install it if they are comfortable with running pre-release software on their devices.
Google doesn't release changelogs for Android Auto updates, and version 9.1 makes no exception. In other words, it’s hard to tell what has been changed in this update. Users will have to discover this on their own, and more information is expected to surface as the rollout makes progress.
Android Auto 9.1 beta doesn’t seem to include any breaking changes, so most likely, the focus is on polishing the redesign announced in January.
Google announced Coolwalk in January, after previously promising to release the update in the summer of 2022. The company missed the launch target as certain features were not available for production devices.
Coolwalk allows users to run multiple apps side-by-side in dedicated cards. Each app category is provided with a card. Navigation solutions receive the largest widget because they require the biggest screen estate to provide route guidance. Music apps, including the likes of Spotify, run in a smaller card because they only show essential song info.
The rollout of Coolwalk is happening at a rather frustrating pace. Google hasn’t released this big update for all users, as it’s using a server-controlled rollout. For the company, this is the right approach, as it provides more time to prevent major bugs from reaching users’ devices.
Whenever a bug is spotted, Google can suspend the rollout of Coolwalk for certain hardware configurations. As such, some users are getting the new design faster than others, as it all depends on the reliability of the data collected by Google.
New Android Auto updates don’t enable Coolwalk, and the recently released version doesn’t change anything on this front. On the other hand, Google has been using the latest updates to further polish the new design.
The most recent Android Auto versions made applications more fluid, while also adding extra options for the dashboard layout. Users are allowed to choose what card they want to be closer to the driver, with two options offered, namely navigation and media. The same settings are bundled with version 9.1 beta as well, and chances are that more such improvements are also hiding in there.
Keep in mind that Android Auto 9.1 is still in the beta stage, which means the current builds come with an increased likelihood of bugs. The stable version should start shipping to all users out there in a few weeks if no major bug is discovered.
Google doesn't release changelogs for Android Auto updates, and version 9.1 makes no exception. In other words, it’s hard to tell what has been changed in this update. Users will have to discover this on their own, and more information is expected to surface as the rollout makes progress.
Android Auto 9.1 beta doesn’t seem to include any breaking changes, so most likely, the focus is on polishing the redesign announced in January.
Google announced Coolwalk in January, after previously promising to release the update in the summer of 2022. The company missed the launch target as certain features were not available for production devices.
Coolwalk allows users to run multiple apps side-by-side in dedicated cards. Each app category is provided with a card. Navigation solutions receive the largest widget because they require the biggest screen estate to provide route guidance. Music apps, including the likes of Spotify, run in a smaller card because they only show essential song info.
The rollout of Coolwalk is happening at a rather frustrating pace. Google hasn’t released this big update for all users, as it’s using a server-controlled rollout. For the company, this is the right approach, as it provides more time to prevent major bugs from reaching users’ devices.
Whenever a bug is spotted, Google can suspend the rollout of Coolwalk for certain hardware configurations. As such, some users are getting the new design faster than others, as it all depends on the reliability of the data collected by Google.
New Android Auto updates don’t enable Coolwalk, and the recently released version doesn’t change anything on this front. On the other hand, Google has been using the latest updates to further polish the new design.
The most recent Android Auto versions made applications more fluid, while also adding extra options for the dashboard layout. Users are allowed to choose what card they want to be closer to the driver, with two options offered, namely navigation and media. The same settings are bundled with version 9.1 beta as well, and chances are that more such improvements are also hiding in there.
Keep in mind that Android Auto 9.1 is still in the beta stage, which means the current builds come with an increased likelihood of bugs. The stable version should start shipping to all users out there in a few weeks if no major bug is discovered.
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