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Google Announces 'Android Auto' CarPlay Competitor
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Well, they are obviously much different in terms of the UI, but I don't see much in terms of actual features - the big difference there seems to be that you can get notified to buy sunscreen.
I have an issue with that, personally for me having adverts in my car of any sort is a step way too far, it's a car and your driving it, why make it more dangerous by bombarding you with adverts? Thankfully the safety officials would ban them if they went too far, but I still wouldn't want them.
I wonder if a Google car self drives itself whilst constantly blasting adverts at you? No doubt as it drives past a shop it'll blast ads at you relating to that shop or something.
It is obvious to me that the only and game to all of this is a standard set of interface books so that you don't have to choose a car manufacturer based on your cell phone operating system of choice. The lifespan of a car is far longer than any user wants to be tied to one smartphone platform. Imagine if this technology was all in place seven years ago, and BlackBerry would have cornered the market for car interfaces. Then you would have hundreds of millions of cars sold over the course of a couple years that, recently, would have no cell phone interface upgrade path.
You mean this material design language is lifted from Google Now, the Play/Maps revamp and what Chrome OS looks like? You know, stuff Google already had out before iOS 7.
"Oh noez, its got colors and shadows and a flat design DEY COPIED LORD JORBS IDEAS!" - You
But officer!
"My car's infotainment system had a noxious virus & malware to boot. I was only distracted for a few seconds as I was downloading the latest fix. Please don't cite me for being the cause of this six car pileup!"
"My car's infotainment system had a noxious virus & malware to boot. I was only distracted for a few seconds as I was downloading the latest fix. Please don't cite me for being the cause of this six car pileup!"
Oh dear, the nasty make believe elitist Apple attitude is rearing it's head here again..
Come back when a luxury phone maker puts iOS on it's $20,000 mobile eh
it'll be a while as they are too busy using Android.And I didn't know Tesla and Audi were 'cheap'?
It's on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. You don't have to read the things that don't interest you.
I can only speak for myself but being able to see and use Google Maps in my dash is a huge plus. In my neck of the woods, you're better off with no maps at all than Apple Maps (wrong or entirely missing POIs, street errors, missing landmarks.... you name it).
I was really excited about CarPlay until a fellow forum poster on here suggested that we may have to use Apple Maps. For some us that's a deal breaker, which makes Android Auto the favourable choice by default. And this saddens me as I'm a huge apple guy who owns just about all their products, this Google announcement has even me thinking of switching to Android now.
The phone is central, not the car
Android Auto only takes over the display when plugged in, just like Carplay for those that are saying "I don't want Android running my car".
It's clear from both Apple's & Google's demonstrations. You buy a car with both capabilities, and plug in the device/os you want to be displayed. You have iOS? Your car displays Carplay UI when plugged in and opened. Your spouse hops in the car really quick to go visit friends? He/she plugs in their Android device and Android Auto UI is available.
We can live together people, stop freaking out!
Finally, you don't have anything plugged in? You get your car manufacturers user interface.
Android Auto only takes over the display when plugged in, just like Carplay for those that are saying "I don't want Android running my car".
It's clear from both Apple's & Google's demonstrations. You buy a car with both capabilities, and plug in the device/os you want to be displayed. You have iOS? Your car displays Carplay UI when plugged in and opened. Your spouse hops in the car really quick to go visit friends? He/she plugs in their Android device and Android Auto UI is available.
We can live together people, stop freaking out!
Finally, you don't have anything plugged in? You get your car manufacturers user interface.
A company's choice of typography has nothing to do with whether or not I take them seriously. Whether or not their product works as advertised does.
Apple uses beautiful typography; but for months after its release, Apple Maps was directing drivers to use an active taxiway at Fairbanks Int'l Airport in order to get to the terminal.
I think I'll stick with Google Maps.
I was struck by two things? What Android versions are supported? I never saw a video posted of this in serious action. Until I see this in a car show being tested by reporters/bloggers have a poke at it then I will reserve judgement, fanboys need not to hype this up until see this reported in action.
That is hard to imagine since there will not be a car that comes with iOS. Like Android Auto, CarPlay is loaded from the phone. The only thing on the car radio is a runtime to support it. That is why it is not hard to imagine cars coming with both CarPlay and Android Auto support.
If at first you don't invent...
steal, steal again.
This goes all directions, BTW. They all steal from each other (yes, even Apple -- including the original Mac OS).
Good news is that the consumer generally wins.
steal, steal again.
This goes all directions, BTW. They all steal from each other (yes, even Apple -- including the original Mac OS).
Good news is that the consumer generally wins.
When Android and Samsung copied Apple,
you and the rest of the world praise "Competition is always good!"
When Apple copied Android,
you and the rest of the world jeer "Apple is playing catch up."
I totally believe we live in a simple world.
I never said that I think Android Auto is worse than CarPlay, I just don't think it looks "ten times better than CarPlay.", as some guy said.
I guess the main thing that is an improvement over CarPlay is that you get Google Maps, which as we all know is way better than Apple Maps. I'm glad about this announcement, this means that we will see more innovation and improvements in these types of things.