Google Decides to Shut Down Android Auto App in Smartphones

According to media sources, Google has confirmed that the standalone ‘Android Auto for Phone Screens’ app would be discontinued from Android 12. According to The Verge, anyone looking for a driving-friendly interface for their Android smartphone should rather use the Google Assistant driving mode, which is available inside Google Maps, or the original Android Auto interface, which is available in select cars.

The objective of this driving mode is to provide customers with an experience that is totally designed for the automobile, thereby replacing Android Auto for phones on Android devices, as you might have guessed from the name.

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Google to Shut Down Android Auto App

So the strategy is as straightforward as it gets. Google wants to wipe out the Android Auto for phone app in favour of a new driving mode. The new driving mode includes Google Assistant and is powered by Google Maps. The driving mode itself has been in preview mode for a few months. It is now only available to a small number of people in the United States and a few other countries.

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After XDA Developers reported that some users were receiving a notification in the ‘Android Auto for Phone Screens’ app saying that the service is “now only available for car screens” and referring smartphone users to use Google Assistant driving mode as an alternative, Google confirmed it. Meanwhile, the ‘Android Auto for Phone Screens’ application is now incompatible with Pixel smartphones running Android 12, according to 9to5Google.

Users who observed a message when starting the Android Auto for Phone Screens noticed early signs of the feature shutdown. They were greeted by a notice stating that Android Auto was only accessible for car screens; advising them to use the “Google Assistant driving mode”. Because they were using preview versions of Android 12 on Pixel devices; these individuals apparently got the notice before the shutdown.

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The driving mode, on the other hand, does not operate on all Android phones. While Android Auto requires Android 6.0 or higher, the driving mode only supports Android 9 and higher; so if you already have Android 11, everything should work well.