Earlier quoted context omitted.
The lesson, I guess, is that if you print money from some other dominant business unit, you don't have to have any other good ideas or execution.
Google has tons of other good ideas. They just seem to suck at executing them. And specifically, at evolving and supporting them.
Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
41–50 of 71 posts
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#42That's... well. Sometimes, timing is bad. I own a 2010 Mazda 6, which comes with bluetooth, but has no display whatsoever. I installed a custom head unit with Apple Car Play. Unfortunately, this head unit became unresponsive every once in a while, and only restarting the car would help. That annoyed the hell out of me. So I went back to the stock experience (it's BOSE after all), and tried to playback audio over blue…
I haven't ordered it yet, but found this 'portable' CarPlay device interesting. I uses wired CarPlay, but I'm ok with that. https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/01/26/review-car-and-dr...
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#43I drive a ten year old car with no built in Android auto interface. Having Android auto in my phone has been a big deal for me. This sucks.
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
The fact that the situation exists where Google has two products that do the same thing and one of them has the same name as another of their products that does something different is just bad news overall. It's great that this specific instance will be resolved soon but are Google, as an organisation, learning any broader lessons at all?
At least these are two similar "driving mode android app" products. I feel like Microsoft is a worse offender at this. As soon as they get some traction with one product they start overloading the name. Think of all the unrelated products crammed together under the umbrellas: ".*365", "Visual Studio .*", "Surface .*"
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
What make/model car do you have and what doesn't work properly? I ask because I've never really encountered an issue with it other than the Waze UI suddenly disappearing.
I've used it in various cars (Ford Fusion, VW Tiguan, Audi Q5, Nissan Rogue) and it seems to have different issues with each car. On one the screen locks up, on another the volume doesn't work right, on a third the voice commands don't always work. I'm sure it's a nightmare for Google trying to make it work right with all the different automotive head units out there.
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
Does your car support wireless Android Auto? If not, try switching to a different cable. The push to wireless is because people are having all sorts of problems with patchy cables and then blame it on Android/phone/Google. Too bad only very recent cars support it. Mine does, it works great.
In case it doesn't, I can really recommend AAWireless [1]. I have it in my 2021 Zoe because the cable was quite awkward with my phone and it's super annoying to always plug it in. [1] https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/aawireless#/
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#47Just in case some people are confused: There are two different things with the same name - - Android Auto vehicle communication technology that mirrors your phone's screen to a vehicle's head unit. - Android Auto phone app that displays the same interface on your phone's screen like a normal app (e.g. mount your phone up high and use directly, or use some other screen mirroring technology to send it to the head unit)…
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
Does wireless Android Auto require a wifi unit inside the HU (wireless Apple CarPlay does)? This seems to be one of the main blockers to adoption by OEMs. AFAIK, in the US, only BMW has implemented wireless CarPlay/AndroidAuto across most of it's lineup. Edit - also, 100% agree on the cable. From my experience, if a cable is at all worn, it stops working in the car, even if it works just fine for charging or data tra…
Yes, of course it needs WiFi. Bluetooth doesn't have the bandwidth to carry the video stream.
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
I haven't ordered it yet, but found this 'portable' CarPlay device interesting. I uses wired CarPlay, but I'm ok with that. https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/01/26/review-car-and-dr...
There are wired->wireless CarPlay adapters you /might/ be able to get working with this.
Re: Google is shutting down its Android Auto mobile app in favor of Google Assistant
#50Is Google's rate of shutting down products really high or is this some cognitive bias (more headlines, more prominent products, higher number of products in the first place etc.)?
Hasn't it been noted that the way you get promoted at Google is participating in launching new products and that they dont really reward good maintenance of existing products? If so it's just everyone working the incentives.