Photo: Google
File this under the “X files” category, as a new Android Auto glitch seems to be causing quite a lot of confusion these days, with even Google apparently puzzled by its behavior.
As it turns out, Android Auto sometimes stops running, with the connection between the mobile device and the head unit completely lost, every time the battery hits 100%. Whenever a wired connection is being used, it’s obviously just a matter of time until the mobile device reaches a full charge.
In other words, it’s also just a matter of time until Android Auto shuts down as well, with users left with no other option than to turn to ridiculous workarounds to keep the app up and running.
While it originally seemed like only OPPO devices are impacted, the glitch has recently been confirmed on a series of other devices as well, including even Google’s very own Pixel 7.
Google says it’s still looking into reports, but for the time being, there’s no ETA as to when a potential fix could go live.
But here’s what could actually happen.
First and foremost, one of the reasons for this awkward glitch could be the aggressive power management settings that are bundled with Android. Whenever devices are plugged in and getting charged, all apps are running at full power, with no battery management system kicking in. However, once a full charge is reached, mobile devices could enter a battery protection mode, eventually suspending the charge and therefore allowing the power management features to be activated.
Because Android Auto is running in the background, and it is obviously the main battery hog given the screen is turned off, Android automatically cuts off the connection, eventually causing the app to stop working.
But is there any fix to deal with the whole thing? This may sound ridiculous, but the only way to keep Android Auto up and running when such behavior occurs is to maintain a high power usage even when the mobile device is connected to the head unit. Obviously, this isn’t necessarily the most convenient workaround, but one possible way to do this is to keep the screen always turned on, even when Android Auto is running on the screen.
The display is the number one power hog on an Android device, so by keeping it turned on all the time, there’s a chance the smartphone wouldn’t be able to reach a full charge. On the other hand, if you’re using a fast charger, this could eventually happen as well, though the whole thing would at least take more time.
At this point, it’s not yet known when and if Google plans to come up with a fix, so don’t hold your breath for things to come back to normal for the impacted devices.
In other words, it’s also just a matter of time until Android Auto shuts down as well, with users left with no other option than to turn to ridiculous workarounds to keep the app up and running.
While it originally seemed like only OPPO devices are impacted, the glitch has recently been confirmed on a series of other devices as well, including even Google’s very own Pixel 7.
Google says it’s still looking into reports, but for the time being, there’s no ETA as to when a potential fix could go live.
But here’s what could actually happen.
First and foremost, one of the reasons for this awkward glitch could be the aggressive power management settings that are bundled with Android. Whenever devices are plugged in and getting charged, all apps are running at full power, with no battery management system kicking in. However, once a full charge is reached, mobile devices could enter a battery protection mode, eventually suspending the charge and therefore allowing the power management features to be activated.
Because Android Auto is running in the background, and it is obviously the main battery hog given the screen is turned off, Android automatically cuts off the connection, eventually causing the app to stop working.
But is there any fix to deal with the whole thing? This may sound ridiculous, but the only way to keep Android Auto up and running when such behavior occurs is to maintain a high power usage even when the mobile device is connected to the head unit. Obviously, this isn’t necessarily the most convenient workaround, but one possible way to do this is to keep the screen always turned on, even when Android Auto is running on the screen.
The display is the number one power hog on an Android device, so by keeping it turned on all the time, there’s a chance the smartphone wouldn’t be able to reach a full charge. On the other hand, if you’re using a fast charger, this could eventually happen as well, though the whole thing would at least take more time.
At this point, it’s not yet known when and if Google plans to come up with a fix, so don’t hold your breath for things to come back to normal for the impacted devices.
Google News