Posted by BMW is one of its recent announcements that said that the company would support Android Auto. It will add to the Apple CarPlay service. An initial version of CarPlay was released in 2014, followed by the release of a stable version in 2019. Apple CarPlay added to BMW vehicles in 2017. CarPlay is a software by Apple which allows a car’s built-in display screen to be a display and control an iPhone. It is available on all iPhones from iPhone 5 or higher or running on iOS 7.1. CarPlay supports apps such as Phone, Apple Music, Messages, AudioBooks, Podcasts, and other media.
BMW Support Android Auto Integration
In iOS 13 supported iPhones, Dashboard, which has a layout of map, Calender, media information is added. A new settings app introduced in iOS13 lets users choose between light and dark themes. Also, it enables the user to configure other settings like Do Not Disturb mode while driving.
In 2017, BMW kept CarPlay as an optional tool. It gave iOS users to pair the device with the car. Android users in 2017 didn’t have this facility but had limited access to some of the car’s built-in display. Just two years after that, BMW announces to have the same facility for Android users.
At the CES technology conference to be in Las Vegas between January 7 to January 10, 2020, a live demo of Android Auto in BMW car will present. The service would connect to the car’s digital system, and all the content will be there on the central display and Head-Up display. Following that, Andoird Auto will be available as a software update to car drivers. The service will be available to car drivers in July 2020. The cars that support the BMW OS 7.0 or later. After updating, the company will recommend Android Auto over a wireless connection. It means that in the beginning, specific Google and Samsung-made phones would support this. But it is going to save you from the hassle of plugging in a device when you need to navigate to a place.
Android Auto Integration In BMW
Android Auto users will have full access to useful information as navigations, appointments, reservations, etc. They can also use the music and messaging app, Google’s AI Google Assistant, thorough this connectivity. Inclusion of Android Auto reveals the fact that carmakers realize that the ability of their car software to connect to the user’s phones, could be a factor to deviate a buyer’s mind towards the purchase of a car.
Android Auto initially released in 2015. It is a mobile app by Google, which lets Android users pair their smartphones to a car’s built-in display system. Then, it mirrors the supported apps on display. Some of the supported apps include Navigation, music playback, messaging, phone, web search. It also supports hands-free voice control. Although the software initially required to connect the device via a USB to the car, it allows the user to now connect to the car’s dashboard wirelessly. An SDK of Android Auto has been released, which lets third-party developers develop or modify their apps. Android Auto supports apps like Google Maps, Google Play Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, and messaging apps like Hangouts, Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger. In 2015, Hyundai was the first automaker to offer Android Auto support.
However, Dieter May, the company’s VP two years back, clearly stated that the company had no interest in rolling out software support for Andoird users. Though it’s worth saying that Android has developed very much if compared with the scenario of two years back. Google’s AI, Google Assistant, has led to significant development.