Photo: Google
Android Auto has its pros and cons, and those who’ve been using the app for more than a couple of days certainly know that the experience with it depends on a lot of factors, from cables and Android version to settings and even the phone language.
But this didn’t stop Android Auto from recording a huge spike in the number of downloads from the Google Play Store, with the official statistics that the search giant itself shares for its users indicating an impressive performance in the last few months.
More specifically, Android Auto’s number of downloads skyrocketed in 2020 to surpass 1 billion, despite having just 100 million installs less than 12 months ago.
In other words, Android Auto has increased its download count by approximately 10 times in just one year, which is totally surprising for an application that’s only supposed to be used by drivers who have a compatible head unit in their cars.
And while these figures are without a doubt unexpected, there’s a good reason why Android Auto recorded such a massive growth throughout 2020. It’s all thanks to the app now being baked into the operating system, a change that occurred with the release of Android 10 and which continues with Android 11.
As others have noted too, this means that Android Auto is downloaded from the Google Play Store when a new Android phone runs the initial setup (either a new device or an existing Android 10/11 phone that was factory reset).
So theoretically, the number of downloads skyrocketing lately is mostly the result of Android Auto now being pre-loaded with Android from the very beginning. These figures aren’t necessarily an indicator that more people are using Android Auto, but only that more phones now have the app running after completing the OOBE.
Android 11 brought another important change for Android Auto, though this time it has nothing to do with how the app is being offered to users. Beginning with this OS version, Android Auto wireless can be used on all devices as long as a compatible head unit exists in the car.
More specifically, Android Auto’s number of downloads skyrocketed in 2020 to surpass 1 billion, despite having just 100 million installs less than 12 months ago.
In other words, Android Auto has increased its download count by approximately 10 times in just one year, which is totally surprising for an application that’s only supposed to be used by drivers who have a compatible head unit in their cars.
And while these figures are without a doubt unexpected, there’s a good reason why Android Auto recorded such a massive growth throughout 2020. It’s all thanks to the app now being baked into the operating system, a change that occurred with the release of Android 10 and which continues with Android 11.
As others have noted too, this means that Android Auto is downloaded from the Google Play Store when a new Android phone runs the initial setup (either a new device or an existing Android 10/11 phone that was factory reset).
So theoretically, the number of downloads skyrocketing lately is mostly the result of Android Auto now being pre-loaded with Android from the very beginning. These figures aren’t necessarily an indicator that more people are using Android Auto, but only that more phones now have the app running after completing the OOBE.
Android 11 brought another important change for Android Auto, though this time it has nothing to do with how the app is being offered to users. Beginning with this OS version, Android Auto wireless can be used on all devices as long as a compatible head unit exists in the car.
Google News