Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
Samsung’s high-end devices have long been struggling with Android Auto. Most recently, the Galaxy S23, the latest and greatest phone from the South Korean company, was unable to use Android Auto because of connectivity problems.
The information on this front is painfully limited. Samsung launched the Galaxy S23 in February, and the Android Auto nightmare started shortly after the first units shipped.
Galaxy S23 buyers revealed that running Android Auto wasn’t possible. The connection between the mobile device and the head unit appears to work, as the phone sometimes charges when plugged in. Others say the receiver doesn’t even detect their phones at all.
The bug looked a lot like a problem experienced by the Galaxy S23 predecessor last year. Back in 2022, when Samsung launched its Galaxy S22 flagship, Android Auto started misbehaving in ridiculous ways. Once again, users complained of connectivity problems and a generally unstable experience with Android Auto.
In other words, Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23 appear to have the same Android Auto connection problems.
Samsung has already tried to address the problems several times for the Galaxy S22. The Galaxy S23 is yet to receive any updates aimed at the Android Auto experience.
The nightmare might finally come to an end.
Several of our readers told me that the April update released by Samsung addresses the Android Auto connection problems. After installing the update and plugging the phone into the car's USB port, the app runs properly with no crash whatsoever.
Most of the reports I’m seeing come from Samsung Galaxy S22 users, so I can’t tell just yet if Galaxy S23 is getting the same patch as well. However, if Samsung has indeed included Android Auto fixes in the Galaxy S22 April update, the same improvements would almost certainly be part of the S23 release as well. I’ve reached out to the company for clarification and will update the article accordingly.
In the meantime, if you own a Samsung device that fails to run Android Auto, the best thing you can do is install the latest updates. If Samsung found a way to improve the experience with Android Auto, it’s likely just a matter of time until it releases the same refinements to everyone. Regardless of the phone model, that is.
Samsung is currently the number one brand in the Android Auto phone world. As such, its phones are the most common choice to run Android Auto as well. In its turn, this means most Android Auto users who struggle with the app own a Samsung phone. The South Koreans rarely discuss its patching plans for Android Auto, as most improvements roll out quietly as part of its monthly updates also bringing us security fixes.
Galaxy S23 buyers revealed that running Android Auto wasn’t possible. The connection between the mobile device and the head unit appears to work, as the phone sometimes charges when plugged in. Others say the receiver doesn’t even detect their phones at all.
The bug looked a lot like a problem experienced by the Galaxy S23 predecessor last year. Back in 2022, when Samsung launched its Galaxy S22 flagship, Android Auto started misbehaving in ridiculous ways. Once again, users complained of connectivity problems and a generally unstable experience with Android Auto.
In other words, Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S23 appear to have the same Android Auto connection problems.
Samsung has already tried to address the problems several times for the Galaxy S22. The Galaxy S23 is yet to receive any updates aimed at the Android Auto experience.
The nightmare might finally come to an end.
Several of our readers told me that the April update released by Samsung addresses the Android Auto connection problems. After installing the update and plugging the phone into the car's USB port, the app runs properly with no crash whatsoever.
Most of the reports I’m seeing come from Samsung Galaxy S22 users, so I can’t tell just yet if Galaxy S23 is getting the same patch as well. However, if Samsung has indeed included Android Auto fixes in the Galaxy S22 April update, the same improvements would almost certainly be part of the S23 release as well. I’ve reached out to the company for clarification and will update the article accordingly.
In the meantime, if you own a Samsung device that fails to run Android Auto, the best thing you can do is install the latest updates. If Samsung found a way to improve the experience with Android Auto, it’s likely just a matter of time until it releases the same refinements to everyone. Regardless of the phone model, that is.
Samsung is currently the number one brand in the Android Auto phone world. As such, its phones are the most common choice to run Android Auto as well. In its turn, this means most Android Auto users who struggle with the app own a Samsung phone. The South Koreans rarely discuss its patching plans for Android Auto, as most improvements roll out quietly as part of its monthly updates also bringing us security fixes.
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