A famous quote reads, “When the desirable is not available, the available becomes desirable.” However, this is not true for car owners who desire to use their Android phones with Apple CarPlay.
Carplay is an exceptional technological innovation built for Apple iPhone users. But, irrespective of that, some car owners try to connect their Android phones with Carplay, probably because they don’t have an iPhone.
Apple CarPlay cannot be used with Android phones because the technology was designed to be compatible with iPhone 5 or any newer version. However, Android Auto is compatible with your Android phone, which is the best alternative.
The importance of CarPlay technology cannot be over-emphasized. The platform allows users to mirror their phone screen on the infotainment screen. A driver can engage Google maps, play music, and do other things with CarPlay while driving.
No wonder a new user would want to do everything possible to get CarPlay on board, even if they don’t have an iPhone. If you’re looking for Apple CarPlay for Android, your first question should be, “Is Apple CarPlay for Android phones possible?”
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto play the same roles in cars. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are designed to assist users when driving to avoid distractions.
Navigating through Google Maps, playing music, or making a phone call with your device handy can be dangerous while driving. Hence, technological assistance is needed.
However, as the names imply, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay work with Android phones and Apple iPhone (iPhone 5 and newer).
The compatibility of CarPlay has been designed so that it doesn’t function with Android phones. On the other hand, Android Auto doesn’t work with iPhones.
This duplicated screen helps users perform virtually all the functions they could perform on their phones without having the phone handy.
Android Auto – Best Alternative for Android Users
Just as CarPlay works with Apple iPhone, Android Auto works with Android phones.
Android Auto is the best alternative for Android users who truly desire to have a taste of the benefits of using CarPlay.
Android Auto does virtually everything you can find in Apple CarPlay. The two platforms are technically similar, besides their compatibility with different phone make.
Like CarPlay, Android Auto technically mirrors your phone’s screen on your car’s infotainment screen. When you connect your Android phone with Android Auto, the in-car entertainment – ICE system will display significant apps like navigation, music streaming, phone dialers, etc.
You can choose to select some more apps that will be useful to you while driving. For example, if you’re looking forward to a schedule within the week, the calendar app will be a perfect app to include. A podcast app will also be ideal if you need to listen to a vital program.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are a “lifesaver.” Many people have been involved in several fatal accidents while navigating on Google Maps with their phones on the road.
In some cases, a distraction from an incoming phone call gets a driver’s attention from the road. Unfortunately, head-on collisions and other fatal accidents have resulted from these slight distractions.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto play the same roles. However, Android Auto is a suitable smartphone integration program for car owners who are Android users.
How to Get & Use Android Auto
Now that you know the significance of having this system in your car, let’s delve into setting it up.
● Check for compatibility
First, carry out a compatibility check to ascertain whether your car features Auto Android. The kind of stereo you use must be compatible with Android Auto.
If you are not sure of your car or stereo’s compatibility status, kindly perform a Car Stereo and Android Auto compatibility check.
● Get the Android Auto app.
Android 9 and other versions below do not come with Android Auto inbuilt. In that case, you have to download Android Auto if you have an Android phone with version 9 or anything below. For those who have Android 10, you don’t need to bother about downloading Android Auto. The app is built-in as part of the features.
● Connect the app
Once you download the Android Auto app (for Android 9 or lesser), connect your Android phone with a USB cable to your car. You will see the Android Auto display on the car’s dashboard immediately after connecting.
However, you can engage a wireless connection in some phones without a USB cable. It’s better for you if your phone has this feature, similar to Apple’s wireless CarPlay.
In any case, cable connections seem to be stronger than wireless connections and can avoid Android auto audio quality issues. The summary of everything you need to run Android Auto on your car includes the following;
- An Android 6.0 version upward with a data connection plan.
- An Android Auto compatible car or car stereo.
- A USB cable of high quality.
Conclusion
Most modern cars like Ford Ranger, Toyota Corolla, Mazda CX-5, BMW 1 series, etc., come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is because manufacturers saw the need to ensure the safety of car owners, and this has been achieved to a large extent.
Besides safety, the ease of navigating on Waze Maps, making or receiving phones, etc., are also benefits of using CarPlay or Auto. If you are yet to incorporate Apple CarPlay or Android Auto in your car, the best time is now.
