In 2015, the year of Android Auto's debut, the Google system was available on all smartphones with Android 5.0 (and later). A couple of months later, Google moved the minimum OS requirement down to Android 6.0 (and later), and earlier this year, the company changed the basic requirements to version 8.0 (and later). .
According to what was reported on the net, it seems that Google is implementing the announced changes and that older devices are starting to be “off limits” for Android Auto. Those who have Android Auto 7, from version 7.0 to version 7.7, have in fact received a popup from Google on their smartphones that asks for an update in order to work. However, people with smartphones running Android OS earlier than Android 8.0 cannot update the app as Android Auto 7.4 is the latest version of the app compatible with smartphones running OS version earlier than 8.0.
In other words, those who have an outdated smartphone will neither be able to access the app nor update it to the new version, remaining totally excluded from the use of Android Auto. Smartphones with an Android version prior to Android 8.0 will no longer be able to access Android Auto. At the same time, we remind you that Google is working on the “Coolwalk“ project, which is a significant redesign of the platform and should arrive very soon. Given the moment, it could be a good opportunity to change the smartphone; if you don't know what to buy, at this address you can find our buying guides. If, on the other hand, you want to take advantage of the moment to switch to an apple device, our article that highlights the differences between Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is available for this in-depth analysis.| ); }