Photo: Google
Coolwalk is without a doubt the most anticipated Android Auto update in a very long time, and after a quiet delay that took place earlier this year, the feature is now available for testers enrolled in Google’s beta program.
But while so many people are rushing to download the latest beta in order to try out Coolwalk today, the rollout depends on two separate factors.
First of all, it looks like only users enrolled in the Android Auto beta program are actually getting Coolwalk. And second of all, not even being part of the program guarantees that Coolwalk is available, as Google uses a server-side update to gradually enable the new feature for testers.
As compared to the version that was announced at I/O earlier this year, the “new” version of Coolwalk comes with many more refinements.
First and foremost, the status area has been redesigned. The “taskbar” includes the typical icons (current time and phone battery level), as well as a new notification count that replaces the bell icon previously available in Android Auto. Tapping the new notification count lets you see more information in a similar way to how the bell icon worked in the first place.
The strip now displays four icons in portrait mode and three icons with a vertical layout. The first one is the navigation app, followed by the music service, phone calls, and messaging.
The card-based UI is divided in the same way as on the original version of Coolwalk, but the difference now is that everything feels more polished. Music apps show album artwork, as well as media controls – a seeking bar is also coming in a future update.
The navigation card receives the largest screen estate, and it adapts to the display size and mode. For instance, it can show the full UI on a wide-resolution screen and large displays in portrait mode, but it can also shrink to make room for other cards, including the music app.
Overall, Coolwalk has been developed in such a way that it perfectly adapts to the size of the display in your car, and whatever you see on the screen is as dynamic as it gets, with the navigation app always prioritized.
First of all, it looks like only users enrolled in the Android Auto beta program are actually getting Coolwalk. And second of all, not even being part of the program guarantees that Coolwalk is available, as Google uses a server-side update to gradually enable the new feature for testers.
As compared to the version that was announced at I/O earlier this year, the “new” version of Coolwalk comes with many more refinements.
First and foremost, the status area has been redesigned. The “taskbar” includes the typical icons (current time and phone battery level), as well as a new notification count that replaces the bell icon previously available in Android Auto. Tapping the new notification count lets you see more information in a similar way to how the bell icon worked in the first place.
The strip now displays four icons in portrait mode and three icons with a vertical layout. The first one is the navigation app, followed by the music service, phone calls, and messaging.
The card-based UI is divided in the same way as on the original version of Coolwalk, but the difference now is that everything feels more polished. Music apps show album artwork, as well as media controls – a seeking bar is also coming in a future update.
The navigation card receives the largest screen estate, and it adapts to the display size and mode. For instance, it can show the full UI on a wide-resolution screen and large displays in portrait mode, but it can also shrink to make room for other cards, including the music app.
Overall, Coolwalk has been developed in such a way that it perfectly adapts to the size of the display in your car, and whatever you see on the screen is as dynamic as it gets, with the navigation app always prioritized.
Google News