Phone mirroring software like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay has become essential for drivers, as automakers have largely given in to the dominance of Google and Apple in the automotive world. Google recently announced a new program called “car-ready mobile apps” that aims to bring new applications to Android Auto without requiring developers to do any work.
The program focuses on expanding app categories that were previously unavailable in the car, such as videos, games, and browsers. Google will automatically enroll apps in the program, but developers can choose to opt out if they wish. The program has three quality levels that apps must meet before being released on Android Auto and Android Automotive: Level 1 – Differentiated Car, Level 2 – Optimized Car, and Level 3 – Ready Car.
Apps in the video, games, and browser categories must meet specific requirements, such as supporting x86_64 and ARM CPU, not serving push notifications, and not playing audio. The expansion of app categories in Android Auto is expected to enhance the user experience, especially for videos, games, and navigation.
Google will launch the Car-Ready Apps program later this year, with developers already able to submit their apps for review manually. In contrast, Apple has not responded to Google’s new program, focusing more on the new generation of CarPlay set to debut this year. Android Auto’s expansion into new app categories may provide a competitive edge over CarPlay and attract more users to choose Android over iPhone.
Article Source
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/more-apps-on-android-auto-behind-google-s-genius-project-that-makes-carplay-look-outdated-235786.html