Android Auto Compatibility Issue for Older Android Phones
Android users may face compatibility issues with Android Auto if their phones are running on Android 8 or older versions. Google has introduced a minimum phone OS requirement for Android Auto, causing disruptions for users with outdated operating systems.
According to a report from 9to5Google, users with phones running on operating systems older than Android 9.0 are experiencing errors when trying to access Android Auto in their cars. The requirement for Android 9.0 or newer was announced earlier this year, and the grace period seems to have ended. A user with an LG V30 from 2017 was surprised to see a pop-up message stating, “This phone no longer supports Android Auto.”
The message indicated that the phone needed the latest version of Android, which may have been disappointing for LG V30 users as the device is no longer supported by its manufacturer, who has stopped making smartphones altogether.
Statistics from StatCounter show that just over 4 percent of Android users worldwide are still on older builds than Android 9.0. While not all of these users may use Android Auto in their cars, this change highlights the importance of keeping software up to date for seamless functionality.
Google and Samsung have committed to providing longer software support for new devices to compete with Apple’s renowned support for older phones. This serves as a reminder that holding onto outdated devices may result in software issues over time.
