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The First Android Auto 8.2 Build Starts Rolling Out

Google continues the work on Android Auto, and today, the company shipped the very first 8.2 build to users who are part of its beta program.
Android Auto Coolwalk home screen 6 photos
Photo: Google
The new Android Auto UIThe new Android Auto UIThe new Android Auto UIThe new Android Auto UIThe new Android Auto UI
That’s right, Android Auto 8.2 beta is now live for testers, as Google is now preparing another production release that should happen in early October.

The full build number of today’s update is 8.2.123804, but keep in mind it’s a beta release, so unless you’re a tech-savvy person who knows what these versions are for, you’d better stay away from it.

Otherwise, Android Auto beta builds are a great way to see what’s coming to the app in the next production update, though in the last few months, very little has been changed on this front.

It goes without saying that the feature everybody is waiting for right now in Android Auto is Coolwalk, the card-based UI that allows users to run multiple apps on the same screen.

And while Google has obviously missed the target date for the release – the company said the rollout would begin in the summer of this year, the work on Coolwalk continues. However, there’s still no ETA as to when the rollout could begin for users out there.

Many people download and install these beta builds, hoping that Coolwalk would finally be included, but in fact, this isn’t going to happen. Coolwalk isn’t tied to a software update, as Google will enable it from its servers. This is because the code to run Coolwalk is already included in Android Auto builds, so Google just needs to activate a switch that will then let the feature show up for users in the production channel.

At this point, however, Coolwalk still requires a few more refinements, at least based on the versions that are available for testing with a rooted phone. But chances are the beginning of the rollout isn’t very far anyway.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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