If you love to jam out while out on a road trip then you’ll likely love Android Auto’s next update – with its promised redesign seemingly ready to launch based on a new leak.
Google has been teasing the next major upgrade to Android Auto for some time, already revealing that the focus is on creating a reactive setup that will allow you to see multiple apps on screen at once – even on a smaller monitor.
Currently, only cars with ultra-wide monitors can take advantage of Android Auto’s split screen (which shows your map, media controls, and message alerts at the same time), but the ‘Coolwalk’ update will bring the feature to compatible car displays of all shapes and sizes.
However, despite the update being teased for June, July, or August it has yet to materialize. To make matters worse, Google hasn’t given an updated release window, leaving us in the dark as to when the update is coming.
It hopefully isn’t far off though (and you can even use it today) according to new evidence posted on Reddit by u/mynamesjefffffs. On the r/AndroidAuto subreddit (opens in new tab), they showed the new Android Auto update working on their car’s 7-inch monitor. Mynamesjefffffs was able to access the update by rooting their android smartphone – a process that gives the user administrator permissions and access to otherwise locked features.
In the images shared on Reddit we can see the car’s map proudly displayed next to the music controls letting Mynamesjefffffs play, pause, or skip Bruno Mars’ It Will Rain without having to hide their directions.
As this isn’t an officially released version of Android Auto there’s a chance we could see some changes, but what Mynamesjefffffs shows off matches up pretty closely with what Google was promising.
The root of the problem
Before you go and root your device to get access to the new Android Auto features for yourself, we’d recommend exercising caution.
While rooting your device does give you complete control over your Android phone, it does also give you the power to ruin everything. If you tweak the wrong file or accidentally install something you shouldn’t (like a piece of malware) then your phone could be rendered inoperable.
Beyond that, you might find that several apps just won’t work on rooted devices. In particular, Google Pay and most banking apps can’t be opened on rooted devices because of malware concerns, and you may find similar restrictions on other apps you rely on.
Thankfully Mynamesjefffffs’ post shows that the Android Auto redesign is already working really well, so we expect it won’t be long before we get the chance to try it out without needing to risk damaging our smartphones.
While we wait for the update, we’d recommend checking out some of the best Android apps that you can download in 2022 to get more use out of your phone without rooting it.