The smartphone superpowers’ plans to make your car the next great tech battleground sounded great, save for the fact you needed either a compatible car or an expensive head unit.
Now Google has done what it should have from the get-go by bringing the Android Auto experience directly to the phone, enabling it to work in any car.
The update for Android phones running version 5.0 and up displays an Android Auto interface showing directions, music, communications and weather.
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The new version of Android Auto (2.0) also offers the ability to start the app as soon as it detects your car’s Bluetooth connection.
In a post on the Google blog today, the company wrote: “Android Auto brings your favorite apps and services into one place, making them accessible in safer and seamless ways.
“You can bring your music with you with apps like Spotify, Pandora or Google Play Music, and make calls or send messages with hands-free voice commands. And of course, get turn-by-turn directions to your next destination with Google Maps.”
Google is asking interest parties to sign up via the Android Auto website for news on when it’ll be available on specific handsets.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
