Photo: Vivo via GizmoChina
Watching videos in the car makes perfect sense when you're not driving, such as when waiting to charge the battery or pick up the kids from school, and this is precisely why I always supported the idea of a car-optimized YouTube version running on Android Auto and Android Automotive.
Google has already released the latter, with Android Auto users expected to get YouTube and other video streaming services in the coming months.
Meanwhile, the Chinese phone company Vivo, one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, has enabled video streaming in cars thanks to a feature called "Vivo smart car." With this feature, owners of Vivo phones can stream videos from seven domestic video platforms, including Tencent Video, Douyin – a domestic Tiktok version, and Xigua Video – owned by the company that launched TikTok.
The feature is integrated into OriginOS, Vivo's operating system offered on devices sold in China. This is where the first disappointing tidbit surfaces.
Because OriginOS is only available in China, only customers in Vivo's home market will get the video streaming. It's unclear if the Android phone maker is aiming for an international release, as it remained tight-lipped on this topic.
The video streaming services can only be accessed from the larger screen in the cabin when the vehicle is parked. This makes sense, as video running on the infotainment display can be a major source of distraction, making drivers take their eyes off the road.
Meanwhile, while Android phone owners in China get access to video streaming services, Android Auto and CarPlay must stick with third-party hacks to unlock YouTube in the car. Google and Apple still don't allow the video streaming service behind the wheel, but as I said, the search giant is already working on making it happen on Android Auto. Apple has never commented on whether it intends to unlock YouTube on CarPlay.
However, Apple is working on a new CarPlay experience, and video streaming capabilities will likely be included. The new-generation CarPlay will launch this year, beginning with 2024 Porsche and Aston Martin models, and will eventually expand to models from a wide range of brands in the United States and Europe. The new CarPlay will support all screens in the car, including the instrument cluster, and support for video streaming is likely to be offered on the passenger display.
Google will launch YouTube and other video apps in beta later this year, and the company is also working on bringing other apps built for large screens to Android Auto and Android Automotive. The effort is part of a program that would open the Google Play Store doors to Android Auto, allowing developers to target more platforms simultaneously without significant code changes to their apps.
Meanwhile, the Chinese phone company Vivo, one of the largest smartphone manufacturers in the world, has enabled video streaming in cars thanks to a feature called "Vivo smart car." With this feature, owners of Vivo phones can stream videos from seven domestic video platforms, including Tencent Video, Douyin – a domestic Tiktok version, and Xigua Video – owned by the company that launched TikTok.
The feature is integrated into OriginOS, Vivo's operating system offered on devices sold in China. This is where the first disappointing tidbit surfaces.
Because OriginOS is only available in China, only customers in Vivo's home market will get the video streaming. It's unclear if the Android phone maker is aiming for an international release, as it remained tight-lipped on this topic.
The video streaming services can only be accessed from the larger screen in the cabin when the vehicle is parked. This makes sense, as video running on the infotainment display can be a major source of distraction, making drivers take their eyes off the road.
Meanwhile, while Android phone owners in China get access to video streaming services, Android Auto and CarPlay must stick with third-party hacks to unlock YouTube in the car. Google and Apple still don't allow the video streaming service behind the wheel, but as I said, the search giant is already working on making it happen on Android Auto. Apple has never commented on whether it intends to unlock YouTube on CarPlay.
However, Apple is working on a new CarPlay experience, and video streaming capabilities will likely be included. The new-generation CarPlay will launch this year, beginning with 2024 Porsche and Aston Martin models, and will eventually expand to models from a wide range of brands in the United States and Europe. The new CarPlay will support all screens in the car, including the instrument cluster, and support for video streaming is likely to be offered on the passenger display.
Google will launch YouTube and other video apps in beta later this year, and the company is also working on bringing other apps built for large screens to Android Auto and Android Automotive. The effort is part of a program that would open the Google Play Store doors to Android Auto, allowing developers to target more platforms simultaneously without significant code changes to their apps.
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