Photo: Google
Android Auto is slowly but surely improving, and Google has recently announced a series of new features for all users, though some of these have been around for quite some time.
First and foremost, Google has officially introduced the new app categories that expand the Android Auto ecosystem with tools specifically aimed at EVs or supposed to make finding parking and charging stations easier. Furthermore, there are new navigation apps available on Android Auto, all thanks to Google unlocking the platform for third parties.
Then, Google reminds the world it has improved the messaging experience, and this is indeed a feature that users are going to live. Available globally for everybody starting this week, the new messaging hub brings all apps that allow you to chat with others under the same roof, therefore letting you access them from the launcher screen.
This new feature has previously been offered only to a handful of users, but Google says its availability has been expanded to all users worldwide.
The Mountain View-based search giant has officially introduced tabs in media apps, something that has previously been spotted in YouTube Music but which is now making its way to the likes of Spotify as well. Tabs make it easier to navigate in a media app and find the content you want to play, and this obviously comes in handy because nobody wants to just browse menus after menus when sitting behind the wheel.
Google has also introduced a new browsing system with “an A to Z button in the scroll bar,” which pretty much means that finding a specific song, for example, is much easier now because you can skip directly to the first letter in the name of the artist or the song.
All in all, Android Auto is clearly getting more love from Google, and this is without a doubt good news. There are over 100 million cars out there running the app, according to Google’s own statistics, so these updates are critical for a growing number of drivers.
Then, Google reminds the world it has improved the messaging experience, and this is indeed a feature that users are going to live. Available globally for everybody starting this week, the new messaging hub brings all apps that allow you to chat with others under the same roof, therefore letting you access them from the launcher screen.
This new feature has previously been offered only to a handful of users, but Google says its availability has been expanded to all users worldwide.
The Mountain View-based search giant has officially introduced tabs in media apps, something that has previously been spotted in YouTube Music but which is now making its way to the likes of Spotify as well. Tabs make it easier to navigate in a media app and find the content you want to play, and this obviously comes in handy because nobody wants to just browse menus after menus when sitting behind the wheel.
Google has also introduced a new browsing system with “an A to Z button in the scroll bar,” which pretty much means that finding a specific song, for example, is much easier now because you can skip directly to the first letter in the name of the artist or the song.
All in all, Android Auto is clearly getting more love from Google, and this is without a doubt good news. There are over 100 million cars out there running the app, according to Google’s own statistics, so these updates are critical for a growing number of drivers.
Google News