Google I/O 2015 and Android Auto News

[anon(9446079)]

Hi!

Did I miss something or were almost no news about Android Auto at this years' Google I/O? No further updates? No further developments?

 

[mikereidis]

Hi!

Did I miss something or were almost no news about Android Auto at this years' Google I/O? No further updates? No further developments?

Hi,

Yes there was an eerie quiet about AA at IO. I was hoping for more, like something about the long rumoured "Android embedded in the car without needing a phone" approach.

There was a 6 minute developer video about designing apps for in car usage. I learned that AA imposes a maximum of 6 touchscreen presses during music navigation for a certain time, to minimize distraction.

The biggest thing I noted was a "what's new" video that said an Android Auto emulator was coming later this year. I noted that there wasn't a single clap or noise from the audience when this was announced (unlike many other reveals) and the speakers quickly moved on to other issues. My take is that there is very little interest about AA among developers; nobody is making money on AA at this time (it's just started to roll out), pretty much the same for Wear and Android TV at least, at this time.

We developers HAVE had an AA music and a separate AA messaging "Simulator" app since December or so. But they suck; they don't give the experience you see on a real headunit (or my headunit app for tablets). So this emulator will be great for those of us who don't want to or can't afford a real headunit for testing.

I also saw that they had the AA app (and system stuff) running on a regular Android emulator, which can work with a virtual connection on the same development PC to the headunit emulator. Supposedly we'll be able to connect the HU emulator over USB to a real phone running AA or the emulated phone running AA.

 

[anon(871934)]

I don't see independent developers ever being the target focus of Android Auto. Only the big companies will get excited by that. It may be a 50 - 100 app ecosystem but how amazing would that still be in today's horrible in-dash system world?

 

[mikereidis]

I don't see independent developers ever being the target focus of Android Auto. Only the big companies will get excited by that. It may be a 50 - 100 app ecosystem but how amazing would that still be in today's horrible in-dash system world?

When (if ?) it's installed in enough cars, there will be more interest.

One of the big problems is that advertising is limited to some relatively non-distracting audio ads (maybe, if at all !). Visual ads are INTENDED to be distracting and that's a no for car usage.

Another issue is that a LOT of Android app money comes from games, and games are of course not allowed.

 

[Phil Nickinson]

I don't see independent developers ever being the target focus of Android Auto. Only the big companies will get excited by that. It may be a 50 - 100 app ecosystem but how amazing would that still be in today's horrible in-dash system world?

I say this after just a few months' use: It's already amazing. So much better than the OEM UIs.

 

[anon(9446079)]

It's better than OEM for sure.
But still it's buggy and shaky and there is lots of room for improvements.