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I thought it may be interesting to have a thread where Nexus 6 users with the supporting hardware systems could post: Tips, How to's, experience, etc. about the Android Auto APK and Nexus 6 devices. Please feel free to enlighten all who enter. :good:
Android auto is just a remote display and sound, isn't it? I don't find it particularly interesting since it *depends* on the phone for the "android" aspect. It is a much better option to install an Android HU in the car, then it isn't functionally dependent on the phone.
Not sure if you're asking or telling.
doitright said:
Android auto is just a remote display and sound, isn't it? I don't find it particularly interesting since it *depends* on the phone for the "android" aspect. It is a much better option to install an Android HU in the car, then it isn't functionally dependent on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is a mobile application for using your phone in a car. It displays on the cars touch screen and is controlled by voice commands. It only uses the bluetooth stack for phone calls, all other sound and video comes from the phones usb port. This equates to better audio and clear, crisp video. By the way, it only works on the latest Android HU.
i've been using it with my Pioneer 4100-NEX, it works quite well. i wish you could swipe away cards and have more notifications push though (ie, sms and hangouts come through, but not facebook messenger)
all in all i'm pretty happy with it, it's fast, simple, pretty and i've been pleasantly surprised with how responsive the resistive screen on the HU is.
vvveith said:
It is a mobile application
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. Its an interface.
for using your phone in a car. It displays on the cars touch screen and is controlled by voice commands. It only uses the bluetooth stack for phone calls, all other sound and video comes from the phones usb port. This equates to better audio and clear, crisp video.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Translate to what I said.
By the way, it only works on the latest Android HU.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HU does *not* require android to work with android auto.
If you want to try out Android Auto you can sign up for the beta of the app called AutoMate. First you'll need to join the beta group in Google+. Next you'll have to agree to be a beta tester with google play. Then you'll finally be able to download the app. I have been using the app for a couple of days now and I personally think that it is great. Its just like Android Auto, at least from what i've seen in all of the android auto demos. I have a pretty good car mount that can fit the nexus 6 so when I took a 4 hour trip this weekend everything worked flawlessly. The best part is that you've already got a giant 6 inch capacitive screen, why not use it instead of paying at least $800 for the cheap resistive screen version of the pioneer head units.
I have a pretty interesting issue where my Android Wear watch (Moto 360) is being CONSTANTLY pinged by my Nexus 6 while plugged into Android Auto. For the life of me, I can't figure out why. Maps is the only app I use regularly in Android Auto and I have it muted on Android Wear...yet, it's draining my Moto 360 battery QUICKLY every time I plug in. It's the strangest thing. I've had to start putting my 360 into Airplane mode to avoid problems while driving. As soon as I unplug the Nexus from my Android Auto HU, I then have to reconnect my 360 in the Android Wear app...or else it won't reconnect and continues to drain battery.
Seriously the weirdest thing.
yeah I have the pioneer 4100nex and originally was using a Moto G and it works great and then I preorderd the ATT galaxy S6 Edge and received it on tuesday, well the S6 edge doesn't work with the Android Auto, so I returned it and just bought google play edition Nexus 6 64gb, and works perfect, I really like the google navigation, reads texts and you can voice reply to the texts,you can play your google music, I`m very happy with it.:good:
That is not the purpose of this thread.
blakedunc235 said:
If you want to try out Android Auto you can sign up for the beta of the app called AutoMate. First you'll need to join the beta group in Google+. Next you'll have to agree to be a beta tester with google play. Then you'll finally be able to download the app. I have been using the app for a couple of days now and I personally think that it is great. Its just like Android Auto, at least from what i've seen in all of the android auto demos. I have a pretty good car mount that can fit the nexus 6 so when I took a 4 hour trip this weekend everything worked flawlessly. The best part is that you've already got a giant 6 inch capacitive screen, why not use it instead of paying at least $800 for the cheap resistive screen version of the pioneer head units.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I like to believe we all know how to use our phones hands free in a car and need no special app to do that. That's the way most of us have been doing it for the past six years or so since the smartphones came out. A simple bluetooth radio used to give you all you needed paired with your phones screen. But now it's much easier to get into your car, plug your device into your hidden USB port and let it charge with screen off and have a heads up display on your radios big screen while the audio is streamed through USB and the only thing using the bluetooth stack is the phone part of the phone. Sound quality is vastly improved and everything runs so much smoother. Plus the steering wheel controls for answering calls, activating OK google and other voice related options allows you to keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel.
vvveith said:
I like to believe we all know how to use our phones hands free in a car and need no special app to do that. That's the way most of us have been doing it for the past six years or so since the smartphones came out. A simple bluetooth radio used to give you all you needed paired with your phones screen. But now it's much easier to get into your car, plug your device into your hidden USB port and let it charge with screen off and have a heads up display on your radios big screen while the audio is streamed through USB and the only thing using the bluetooth stack is the phone part of the phone. Sound quality is vastly improved and everything runs so much smoother. Plus the steering wheel controls for answering calls, activating OK google and other voice related options allows you to keep your eyes on the road and your hands upon the wheel.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
First if your car already has Bluetooth like mine then you still have all of the same controls as the actual android auto head units. Also just like on my phone it's not like you can just say OK Google with the music playing but if the music isn't at least I can just say OK Google even with the screen off as well and will get a response. More that likely a person will still end up looking at the device or take their hands off of the wheel when giving a command. I mean come on, Google now works but everyone knows that it's still not perfect yet. Even on my phone I still have to type out what I'm saying even if I'm annunciating perfectly just FYI... Bluetooth audio has also vastly improved over the years. I would argue that the average person would not even notice the difference between Bluetooth audio and being playing directly over USB. Also don't say that it runs 'so much smoother' because most of us have seen the videos and they are still laggy and still not as responsive as our phone themselves. I was simply giving an option to people who wanted to try out android auto without having to buy a crappy resistive screen head unit unless you wanted to shell out over $1000 for one. Also is not a heads up display... A heads up display would be something out in the area of where the driver will be looking out of the windshield as to not having to take their eyes off of the road ahead.
Please.
blakedunc235 said:
First if your car already has Bluetooth like mine then you still have all of the same controls as the actual android auto head units. Also just like on my phone it's not like you can just say OK Google with the music playing but if the music isn't at least I can just say OK Google even with the screen off as well and will get a response. More that likely a person will still end up looking at the device or take their hands off of the wheel when giving a command. I mean come on, Google now works but everyone knows that it's still not perfect yet. Even on my phone I still have to type out what I'm saying even if I'm annunciating perfectly just FYI... Bluetooth audio has also vastly improved over the years. I would argue that the average person would not even notice the difference between Bluetooth audio and being playing directly over USB. Also don't say that it runs 'so much smoother' because most of us have seen the videos and they are still laggy and still not as responsive as our phone themselves. I was simply giving an option to people who wanted to try out android auto without having to buy a crappy resistive screen head unit unless you wanted to shell out over $1000 for one. Also is not a heads up display... A heads up display would be something out in the area of where the driver will be looking out of the windshield as to not having to take their eyes off of the road ahead.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please try and understand what I started this thread for. It is for those of us who are using Android Auto with a supporting head unit. Just like back a few months ago, I was using the sync system in my car. I have never had any issues with my voice to text, every once in a while a word would be incorrect, but the more you use it in a quite environment the better your results get. My text messaging reads back my response before it sends and I can either allow it to send or say the message again. I have not had to touch my phone in a car for five years and don't plan on doing anything like that today even with the radios display. The idea of hands free is exactly that, Hands Free. If you don't have the tech to support and help contribute to developing apps that help alleviate the use of hands in the car, this is not the forum thread for you. I don't know what music application you prefer, but the ones I use I pay a premium for because they offer me higher bandwidth and truer sound. And you can immediately here the difference between bluetooth and wired. It's been rumored already that Bluetooth is soon to become extinct and it seems that is the way mobile tech is rolling. BTW, HU the way I was using it my Head Unit not heads up.
The good part is.....
doitright said:
Android auto is just a remote display and sound, isn't it? I don't find it particularly interesting since it *depends* on the phone for the "android" aspect. It is a much better option to install an Android HU in the car, then it isn't functionally dependent on the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be the ideal, but very few cars come with a built in cellular connection, I know they are available but this is the inexpensive way to go. What I like the most about it is the ability to put the phone in my center compartment where the USB outlet is hidden, shut the compartment while the phone is charging and still have access to all of my phones functionality straight from the steering wheel. It's wonderful not to have to look at a screen, and if I do glance at the screen to see a turn that might be coming up or what song is playing on a stream, it is big and clear and takes not even a second to see. Luckily, the Navigation in google maps is pretty trustworthy and gives voice commands with plenty of time to spare so it's rare to even have to look at the Map when moving. My next car will have built in cellular service, it was just still to expensive four years ago when I bought my car and my service provider did not have a system in place for plugging in their tech. They do now but I won't be in the market for another car for at least another year. The thing that got me into having a Android Auto supporting HU is my text messaging application and the sync system, would not play nice together anymore because of changes in Lollipop from kit kat. Sync kept crashing the bluetooth sharing feature anytime I received a text. And since I was using that tech for the past four years, there was no way I was going back to having to touch a screen or try and type a text in the car. The developers I work with tried many fixes to see if we could alleviate the problem, but every thing we tried failed. The problem was immediately remedied with the new HU. Now I'm trying to find others that use the same tech, so we can share our experiences and any other useful features we find or help each other with certain problems one might experience. That is what this thread is about. If you have a Android Auto compatible HU and a Nexus device, this is a place to share.
Hello all, I had a Son XAV-601BT, which was supposed to be a very promising and awesome android headunit, but ended up being a dud because mirrorlink doesn't work well, etc, I can only connect my phone with bluetooth and play music through it. I just got a Nissan Titan and want to up my in car experience. I had a good bit of audio equipment I took out of my old 240sx and was going to reuse it, which included the 601BT, 2 kicker amps (one for the sub, another 4 channel for speakers), and polk audio speakers, but the headunit is basically.. meh.
I was wondering what would be the ideal route to go to get the best experience. I know they have head units that have all the android auto stuff built in, but since I already have a nice amp I can use to drive the speakers, would I be better off just using a tablet and getting things connected up that way? I would like to be able to utilize good quality voice for commands and phone calls, but I am not sure if using a tablet for that would work (using the phones capabilities through the tablet to make calls and texts via bluetooth or some other way.)
If anyone has any recommendations on how I can have a nice sized mounted capacitive screen to control my audio (spotify), navigation, and be able to use voice commands (though I could technically just make them through my watch as I have been), I would love to hear some suggestions. If the best route to go would be an actual android auto headunit, then so be it, but I would like to know if alternatives can do this.
See my sig for Headunit app for Android Auto. Nexus tablets are working well with it.
Tablet solution likely takes some time to get it the way you want it, but it makes it very customizable and can be done cheaply-ish.
There are 2 popular lines of $300 Chinese HUs discussed on XDA. They are best described as... the Chinese stuff you find on EBay/Alibaba etc. Source is available but the latest Newsmy is still stuck on Android 4.4.
Or for $500-2k get a Pioneer or Kenwood Android Auto 4100/6100/7100NEX. There's a custom ROM just come out for some Pioneers, but it will take time to mature.
Awesome, thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. I was looking in to some of the interesting setups people have, such as using an Arduino with an IR transmitter that you connect to the tablet, so you can use a standard smaller headunit, hide it in the dash to connect to the speakers and control the volume, and the tablet can be mounted nice, and when you hit the volume etc on the tablet it makes the Arduino blast the IR to the head unit, and it makes the volume go up as if you pressed the button (or in this case, the remote)
That might work well with a head unit app or something similar. I will download the APK's you linked and check them out!
I know I'm missing something about AA, but let me ask this newbie question anyway. Oh silly me ..... what is/are the advantages of AA ..... what if users like me are happy with our car sound and video system but just want a Google centric pc and display in the car. You can buy Android mini pc like Minix, Tronsmart and others for around $200 USD or less. 16:9 HD displays with usb touchscreens have dropped in price, so mount one instead of the Garmin type Navi screens.
Yes, for connectivity you do need a wireless technology bridge from LTE to cat5 wired. But really (!), for $500 or less you get great Android system built into your car and you get to operate your sound system seperately. You can mirror or even 'sidesync' between car pc and phablet/phone if you want. Heck, with those smart TV type boxes you can watch all kinds of stuff. With a little thinking, you can connect audio into your existing sound system. You can use any number of ODBII devices to connect to your car's port and run the Torque app on your car Android pc to have all kinds of car diagnostics and live meters. You have almost the entire Google ecosystem available like any other device (almost).
What does Android Auto get you?
I apologize for asking such a seemingly silly question. Why does everything have to become so complicated and expensive?
The promise of Android Auto and its current reality don't quite match up yet but it is very early and I think it is a matter of time.
AA (and CarPlay) is meant to surface the most important functions of your smartphone and provide a more integrated and less distracting way of interacting with those functions. More integrated in terms of working with steering wheel functions (e.g. volume, next/prev, voice command, etc) and current media playback (e.g. pausing or muting existing audio to deliver turn-by-turn instructions). Less distracting in terms of simplified UI with less touching/typing required and more dependence on voice commands. It also eliminates non-essential notifications while driving (I don't need to see the latest Instagram post until I am parked thanks).
I think it also showcases to auto OEMs what is possible with some good design thinking. I own a 2014 VW with the most unintuitive, cumbersome, slow, frustrating navigation you could imagine. An Android Auto head unit that provides an excellent Google Maps nav experience is light years ahead of a system like that.
Dropping in a smartphone Android interface into a dashboard misses much of what AA is meant to deliver. It may be somewhat more integrated but it is no less distracting.
SCKoman said:
I know I'm missing something about AA, but let me ask this newbie question anyway. Oh silly me ..... what is/are the advantages of AA ..... what if users like me are happy with our car sound and video system but just want a Google centric pc and display in the car. You can buy Android mini pc like Minix, Tronsmart and others for around $200 USD or less. 16:9 HD displays with usb touchscreens have dropped in price, so mount one instead of the Garmin type Navi screens.
Yes, for connectivity you do need a wireless technology bridge from LTE to cat5 wired. But really (!), for $500 or less you get great Android system built into your car and you get to operate your sound system seperately. You can mirror or even 'sidesync' between car pc and phablet/phone if you want. Heck, with those smart TV type boxes you can watch all kinds of stuff. With a little thinking, you can connect audio into your existing sound system. You can use any number of ODBII devices to connect to your car's port and run the Torque app on your car Android pc to have all kinds of car diagnostics and live meters. You have almost the entire Google ecosystem available like any other device (almost).
What does Android Auto get you?
I apologize for asking such a seemingly silly question. Why does everything have to become so complicated and expensive?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your "build your own Android mini-PC" idea will seem VERY complicated to "regular people".
Regular people can buy a new car with AA HU installed, and simply plug their stock Android phone in. Or buy an aftermarket HU and have any of thousands of shops install it for you. How may shops will build, configure and install a custom mini-PC ? Mp3car.com MAY do it for $10,000.00 or more I guess... (See their website for custom work.)
Android Auto, after a few years of fixes and new apps supporting it, will hopefully provide a "just works" solution.
Android/computing enthusiasts may prefer to build their own systems and spend many hours tinkering etc. Or they may just want a "just works" solution here too.
Different audiences, different requirements.
Good points .... marketing savvy ... I like.
The in-car software is available on Android 5.0 phones for every driver to access
http://www.wired.co.uk/article/android-auto-all-cars
What does this mean? Can we get this apk and install this in our android HU's and have true android auto?
I've installed this on my MTCD device via the apk (google android auto apk mirror for the apk, I cannot post links yet). Make sure to install the correct arm/arm64/x86 version for your device, the top 3 Android Auto 2.0 are the three versions.
It runs extremely slow on my unit, curious to know if others have a better experience. I think I will stick with automate for now, but hoping that there will be continued development in the android auto pipeline. I think in my case it is limited by the hardware (1GB ram, som), but I bet the newer intel units will run it well.
i have a Joying 2GB, intel unit, I will try it this weekend
Running nice on my Samsung J7 / Mazda 3 SGT
I've only played with the app on my phone but I don't think it's been designed to work in the way you think. The new app is designed so your phone displays the Android Auto UI. If you install on a MTC Headunit, it's likely that it will assume your Headunit is the phone and not link to your phone (note - I'm assuming this based on what I've read and have not tried). However... If you only install on your phone and screen mirror to your headunit, it should be close to an Android Auto experience... Let me know if this works or if anything in my post is not true...
Yup, it is essentially the Android Auto UI optimized for phones on the MTCD head unit. No link to the phone is required (which is what I expected), however the slower MTC units are just too slow to run it well enough imo.
Wouldn't screen mirroring just display the UI and you would still have to interact with the phone for selections? I feel like that defeats the purpose of Android Auto.
If they made it so any Android tablet/HU could just be the display and touchscreen for Android Auto (similar to Pioneer etc) running on your phone, that would be awesome. Would achieve the functionality at a MUCH lower price tag than the Pioneer/Sony etc units and have way more flexibility for other apps.
To be honest, I've not played with screen mirror but I thought it allowed you to control your phone from the head unit as well as display it's screen (or so the marketing talk for my head unit claimed).
I thought it was uni-directional, but I have not tried it myself either (only got it a few weeks ago). After looking at some of the information, I think you might be right (assuming it really is mirror link). Hoping that is the case!
I loaded it on my Joying 2GB Intel 8 inch Android 5.1 unit
Much better than expected, although you still can't make calls on it
More pics
CadillacMike said:
I loaded it on my Joying 2GB Intel 8 inch Android 5.1 unit
Much better than expected, although you still can't make calls on it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course not, it's expecting to be installed on a phone not a tablet.
Not one of these units have ever implemented the standard Android way of handling phone calls.
Bit of a disappointment, really. The "Your Places" and "Saved" menus from Google Maps do not seem to be available thru Android Auto.
Has anyone created a Xposed or root hack that will allow AA apps not approved by The Google to be ran using AA? For example I have been working on a update for K-9 mail that will read my mail and let me respond from AA. However there is no way to use it outside of the emulator and Google would never approve it.
when I try to make a call it tells me "Network not available". anybody getting the same error?
fopoku2k2 said:
when I try to make a call it tells me "Network not available". anybody getting the same error?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From your phone? Or from an Android head unit?
I out AA on my Android head unit and it gets that error. Which is to be expected, as noted earlier by another poster, it is common for these Android units to not talk to the phone properly
Hey Guys,
i searched the Web for a possibility to get AA running on my X70 Pro+ with Origin OS Ocean....
Unfortunately there are only Posts and Threads about the X60 and other Vivo Phones and so on .
The issue seems to be the same.
Has anyone found a workaround to get AA running on Origin OS....?
I was hoping for Android 12 to get the Phone going, but no Idea what time we will get Android 12 and if Vivo sets permissions for AA then.
Cheers and greetings from Germany
Hi,
Right now, there is unfortunately no way to get Android Auto working. After Android 10 Android Auto only trigger car installation of it is a system application. Since there is not the case with Vivo and you couldn't mount AA as a system, you are out of options to make it work.
There is a slight, but really a slight option that it might work with the new Coolwalk version which will be available later this year.
Otherwise, the head unit direct version is also in preparation.
If you want the working AA now, the only realistic option is to buy an Android CarPlay dongle, or using a spare phone with older Android version as a buffer triggered from your phone hotspot (or with a separate sim card).
piskr said:
Hi,
Right now, there is unfortunately no way to get Android Auto working. After Android 10 Android Auto only trigger car installation of it is a system application. Since there is not the case with Vivo and you couldn't mount AA as a system, you are out of options to make it work.
There is a slight, but really a slight option that it might work with the new Coolwalk version which will be available later this year.
Otherwise, the head unit direct version is also in preparation.
If you want the working AA now, the only realistic option is to buy an Android CarPlay dongle, or using a spare phone with older Android version as a buffer triggered from your phone hotspot (or with a separate sim card).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you very much for the detailed explanation
Im looking for an EZ solution too
But from my knowledge the only work around right now is root the phone and make AA an system app
which is not EZ for vivo since it does not allow to unlock bootloader
There is simply no chance to run AA with x70 pro+ now. The only viable solution are android dongles running on past Android versions and triggering car AA. Or even better - if you have or can buy cheap an Android 8, 9 or 10 phone with full gps and at least 4g ram (could be with broken screen or scratches), you can use it as an interface.
The only way to have android auto to work on your vehicle is to have the one with Funtouch OS (which I have), other than that, you will waste your time in trying to find a way to make it work..
piskr said:
Hi,
Right now, there is unfortunately no way to get Android Auto working. After Android 10 Android Auto only trigger car installation of it is a system application. Since there is not the case with Vivo and you couldn't mount AA as a system, you are out of options to make it work.
There is a slight, but really a slight option that it might work with the new Coolwalk version which will be available later this year.
Otherwise, the head unit direct version is also in preparation.
If you want the working AA now, the only realistic option is to buy an Android CarPlay dongle, or using a spare phone with older Android version as a buffer triggered from your phone hotspot (or with a separate sim card).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will a dongle fix the connection issue?
piskr said:
Hi,
Right now, there is unfortunately no way to get Android Auto working. After Android 10 Android Auto only trigger car installation of it is a system application. Since there is not the case with Vivo and you couldn't mount AA as a system, you are out of options to make it work.
There is a slight, but really a slight option that it might work with the new Coolwalk version which will be available later this year.
Otherwise, the head unit direct version is also in preparation.
If you want the working AA now, the only realistic option is to buy an Android CarPlay dongle, or using a spare phone with older Android version as a buffer triggered from your phone hotspot (or with a separate sim card).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My head unit is after market and supports wireless. I know that my x fold won't hook up. Are you saying if I get carplay dongle I can hook my vivo wifi to it and it will work?
Sonicsoul25 said:
My head unit is after market and supports wireless. I know that my x fold won't hook up. Are you saying if I get carplay dongle I can hook my vivo wifi to it and it will work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The head unit has to support Android Auto. Then you can choose from a variety of dongles. Even though they have more or less the same chip, they are different. Each producer tries to squeeze the most from the device, and they have a different approach.
Basically, you must avoid those, which don't clearly stated that some version of Android is installed. Without Android you gain nothing, it's only wireless connection - for IOS.
Most of them have Android 9 or 10, though in the last time 11 appears as well. That is really interesting, because with Android 11 you must have AA as a system app in order to trigger it on a head unit. It looks like producers now solve that issue.
And surprisingly, the core you get on the head unit, if everything goes ok, is not Android, it's IOS. In that core you have android apps including Google Play.
Since, as I said, every unit has a unique configuration, it's not possible to recommend any. The device that I bought is not in the market anymore, for example.
The very piece that you buy must play well with your car head unit and everything what is behind. And behind is a lot, managing systems for settings, audio and other customization.
You must be aware, when you connect AA dongle, it cuts every other setting related to its management out.
Therefore, the biggest issue might be that you'll lose calling via Bluetooth functionality. Because callings (and old style sms) goes different way than other features. My dongle does support calling but in limited way, without Assistant support and with custom made phone app, where the contact selection is rather difficult. And the next flaw is that it doesn't get along with my car audio system, therefore woofers are not engaged. The dongle doesn't have an equalizer, and I can't remedy it.
There is noticeable lag when starting apps and with commands, but otherwise there is no lag when running. Music, video and Gmaps function without glitches. Yes, you have YouTube, Netflix and any other video app you might be subscribed to. And video runs well with a decent resolution. You can load apps from store or as a sideload. And you can play local files, stored either in the dongle memory or on USB.
That's my experience, others may have different. You don't have necessary to buy a dongle, you can use an old phone with Android from 8 to 10 as a driver. Because, as you may already guess, your actual phone serves only as a hot spot (wireless and if you're lucky bluetooth too - tethering) to provide a signal for AA dongle.
If you want to buy a dedicated device, select one which has reviews from the users with as much as possible similar circumstances and priorities as you have.
piskr said:
The head unit has to support Android Auto. Then you can choose from a variety of dongles. Even though they have more or less the same chip, they are different. Each producer tries to squeeze the most from the device, and they have a different approach.
Basically, you must avoid those, which don't clearly stated that some version of Android is installed. Without Android you gain nothing, it's only wireless connection - for IOS.
Most of them have Android 9 or 10, though in the last time 11 appears as well. That is really interesting, because with Android 11 you must have AA as a system app in order to trigger it on a head unit. It looks like producers now solve that issue.
And surprisingly, the core you get on the head unit, if everything goes ok, is not Android, it's IOS. In that core you have android apps including Google Play.
Since, as I said, every unit has a unique configuration, it's not possible to recommend any. The device that I bought is not in the market anymore, for example.
The very piece that you buy must play well with your car head unit and everything what is behind. And behind is a lot, managing systems for settings, audio and other customization.
You must be aware, when you connect AA dongle, it cuts every other setting related to its management out.
Therefore, the biggest issue might be that you'll lose calling via Bluetooth functionality. Because callings (and old style sms) goes different way than other features. My dongle does support calling but in limited way, without Assistant support and with custom made phone app, where the contact selection is rather difficult. And the next flaw is that it doesn't get along with my car audio system, therefore woofers are not engaged. The dongle doesn't have an equalizer, and I can't remedy it.
There is noticeable lag when starting apps and with commands, but otherwise there is no lag when running. Music, video and Gmaps function without glitches. Yes, you have YouTube, Netflix and any other video app you might be subscribed to. And video runs well with a decent resolution. You can load apps from store or as a sideload. And you can play local files, stored either in the dongle memory or on USB.
That's my experience, others may have different. You don't have necessary to buy a dongle, you can use an old phone with Android from 8 to 10 as a driver. Because, as you may already guess, your actual phone serves only as a hot spot (wireless and if you're lucky bluetooth too - tethering) to provide a signal for AA dongle.
If you want to buy a dedicated device, select one which has reviews from the users with as much as possible similar circumstances and priorities as you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for the wealth of information. I Think I will just use my spare phone to run it. Until another solution arises.