Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
The work on Android Auto makes good progress, with Google seemingly more committed to improving the experience behind the wheel.
New versions land at a faster pace than before, and the beta program has a major contribution to the final goal of making Android Auto more stable and reliable.
A new pre-release build landed online a few hours ago, allowing users to test it before the production rollout begins.
Android Auto 11.9 beta is available for download for everyone interested in discovering what's next for the app, albeit these releases rarely bring significant changes from the previous updates. Version 11.9 doesn't seem to be different, as Google has likely focused on under-the-hood changes and subtle polishing for the overall experience with the app.
Google no longer offers changelogs for its Android Auto updates, so the only way to find out what's new in version 11.9 is to install it on your device and look for changes.
The biggest change introduced lately for Android Auto users is the redesign of the settings interface.
Google promised a modern look for Android Auto years ago, and while 99% of the app has already been refreshed, the Settings screen was stuck with the old and outdated interface. The worst thing was that the Settings menu did not follow the system theme settings and lacked a dark mode, so it used a light visual style regardless of your configuration.
Starting with Android Auto 11.8, the redesigned Settings menu began rolling out to users, albeit the process was powered by a server-side switch. Installing Android Auto 11.8 or the newly-released 11.9 beta doesn't guarantee you'll get the new Settings interface today, but they are required once Google enables the server-side update on your device.
Meanwhile, it's critical to remember that Android Auto 11.9 is still in the beta stage. This means the pre-release builds could include bugs that should no longer be there once the same version reaches the production stage, so you must prepare for a less stable and reliable experience. Beta builds are only aimed at experienced users who want to try out new updates early and help software companies polish these releases before the production rollout kicks off.
If everything goes according to the plan, Android Auto 11.9 should become available for non-beta users next week. Meanwhile, you can try it out by enrolling in the beta program or downloading the stand-alone APK installer. You don't need to remove your existing Android Auto installation if you're part of the production channel. Once you install the new build, all files are replaced automatically, so you switch from the stable to the beta rings by installing the new builds. You should move back to production releases when Android Auto 11.9 becomes broadly available if you expect a more stable experience.
A new pre-release build landed online a few hours ago, allowing users to test it before the production rollout begins.
Android Auto 11.9 beta is available for download for everyone interested in discovering what's next for the app, albeit these releases rarely bring significant changes from the previous updates. Version 11.9 doesn't seem to be different, as Google has likely focused on under-the-hood changes and subtle polishing for the overall experience with the app.
Google no longer offers changelogs for its Android Auto updates, so the only way to find out what's new in version 11.9 is to install it on your device and look for changes.
The biggest change introduced lately for Android Auto users is the redesign of the settings interface.
Google promised a modern look for Android Auto years ago, and while 99% of the app has already been refreshed, the Settings screen was stuck with the old and outdated interface. The worst thing was that the Settings menu did not follow the system theme settings and lacked a dark mode, so it used a light visual style regardless of your configuration.
Starting with Android Auto 11.8, the redesigned Settings menu began rolling out to users, albeit the process was powered by a server-side switch. Installing Android Auto 11.8 or the newly-released 11.9 beta doesn't guarantee you'll get the new Settings interface today, but they are required once Google enables the server-side update on your device.
Meanwhile, it's critical to remember that Android Auto 11.9 is still in the beta stage. This means the pre-release builds could include bugs that should no longer be there once the same version reaches the production stage, so you must prepare for a less stable and reliable experience. Beta builds are only aimed at experienced users who want to try out new updates early and help software companies polish these releases before the production rollout kicks off.
If everything goes according to the plan, Android Auto 11.9 should become available for non-beta users next week. Meanwhile, you can try it out by enrolling in the beta program or downloading the stand-alone APK installer. You don't need to remove your existing Android Auto installation if you're part of the production channel. Once you install the new build, all files are replaced automatically, so you switch from the stable to the beta rings by installing the new builds. You should move back to production releases when Android Auto 11.9 becomes broadly available if you expect a more stable experience.
Google News