Many Android users are on the verge of losing access to their favorite songs, important notifications, navigation in Maps, or possibly watching a YouTube video while driving or as a co-pilot.In short, Android Auto will soon end support for Android devices running Android 10.In the latest Reddit posts (via), warnings have started appearing for users saying “Android Auto will soon stop working on this phone” when they connect their phone to their cars.
Reddit user u/BigJem81 reported seeing the message every time they connected to Android Auto, despite the application continuing to work properly.The user is equipped with a Samsung Galaxy Note 9 running on Android 10 and a 2023 Kia Rio.What does the support documentation say? No updates yet.
As of now, the devices are still supported, and Android Auto is working perfectly on these devices.But the warning says it will stop working because the device cannot upgrade to the required Android version.This points to the move that Google could soon make Android 11 the new minimum requirement for Android Auto, discarding Android 9 Pie and Android 10.
As of January this year, Android 10 and Android 9 Pie are on over 12% of active devices.When you consider that Android has nearly 4 billion users worldwide, even a seemingly small percentage affects millions and millions of people.The company’s support documents still read Android 9 Pie as the minimum version for wired Android Auto, and Android 11 for the wireless one.
The search giant has not officially announced the apparent change or provided a date for when Android 10 support will end, but the classic trick to tease an announcement has sparked a debate on social media.What could users probably do? If using Android Auto is a necessity for them.The most logical and straightforward path is to upgrade the current handset to a new one, but this could possibly mean gaining some extra weight in your hands and pockets, as the new smartphones are a bit bulky and expensive compared to the older models.
Some users who like to try some technical mods have started flashing custom firmware like LineageOS (installing a custom ROM) on their Note 9.This will update the device to the latest version of Android and can restore the full version of Android Auto.However, installing a custom ROM could invite a ton of bugs and further complicate security.
Related 4 Android settings to disable for a better Android Auto experience Four tiny switches, noticeably less nonsense.Posts 2 By Sanya Shah Users can always go for some old-school techniques, like using a dashboard mount.This will keep the device free from bugs and glitches, but it won’t be hassle-free.
For now, Android 10 users need not worry, as Android Auto continues to work.But if you wish to continue using navigation, music, and other driving features, it is recommended to upgrade your device, as the latest devices get 7 years of software and security updates.
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