Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
The work on Android Auto is a never-ending effort, especially considering the number of bugs that seems to increase with every new update.
The purpose of the latest Android Auto release appears to be addressing glitches and refining the overall app performance, considering Google still hasn't provided a changelog.
Android Auto 10.4 is now available for download, less than a week after the search giant shipped the first beta build for this version. No release information is available, and that's why it's probably safe to assume the focus has been exclusively on fixing bugs.
The Android Auto 10.4 rollout happens through the Google Play Store, with Google relying on an approach that could cause frustration in the Android Auto user base. The company ships the update to devices using a phased approach, meaning some users get the new version sooner than others. Google conducts additional reliability and stability testing using a small set of product devices, after which it improves the availability to more devices.
Eventually, everybody gets the update once Google is certain no major bug would affect users' devices.
The process typically takes up to several weeks, but power users who don't want to wait that long can always download Android Auto updates manually. The process involves getting the standalone APK installer and installing it on the Android device.
If you want to download Android Auto 10.4, you can find the APK on this page. Users might have to grant special permissions to the process, as Android blocks app installation from non-Google Play Store sources by default.
It's too early to tell if Google has included any big changes in this update, but I couldn't spot any new features after using the new version for a couple of short drives.
While it's hard to tell if Google has fixed any problems, I can certainly tell you what Google didn't fix. The Coolwalk bug that's been around for nearly half a year and causing the lower part of the screen to freeze is still there after the installation of Android Auto 10.4. The bug makes it impossible to use the taskbar, therefore, users can't switch between apps. The issue appears related to Google Maps, as users claim the interface freezes when launching the navigation app.
The issue has become more widespread in the last few months, but Google doesn't seem to be in a rush to resolve it. The only workaround appears to be going back several Android Auto versions, though Google would start enforcing the update to a more recent release for the added functionality.
If you install Android Auto 10.4 and notice any changes worth mentioning, drop us a line in the comment box below. I'll also post follow-up stories if any new features are discovered.
Android Auto 10.4 is now available for download, less than a week after the search giant shipped the first beta build for this version. No release information is available, and that's why it's probably safe to assume the focus has been exclusively on fixing bugs.
The Android Auto 10.4 rollout happens through the Google Play Store, with Google relying on an approach that could cause frustration in the Android Auto user base. The company ships the update to devices using a phased approach, meaning some users get the new version sooner than others. Google conducts additional reliability and stability testing using a small set of product devices, after which it improves the availability to more devices.
Eventually, everybody gets the update once Google is certain no major bug would affect users' devices.
The process typically takes up to several weeks, but power users who don't want to wait that long can always download Android Auto updates manually. The process involves getting the standalone APK installer and installing it on the Android device.
If you want to download Android Auto 10.4, you can find the APK on this page. Users might have to grant special permissions to the process, as Android blocks app installation from non-Google Play Store sources by default.
It's too early to tell if Google has included any big changes in this update, but I couldn't spot any new features after using the new version for a couple of short drives.
While it's hard to tell if Google has fixed any problems, I can certainly tell you what Google didn't fix. The Coolwalk bug that's been around for nearly half a year and causing the lower part of the screen to freeze is still there after the installation of Android Auto 10.4. The bug makes it impossible to use the taskbar, therefore, users can't switch between apps. The issue appears related to Google Maps, as users claim the interface freezes when launching the navigation app.
The issue has become more widespread in the last few months, but Google doesn't seem to be in a rush to resolve it. The only workaround appears to be going back several Android Auto versions, though Google would start enforcing the update to a more recent release for the added functionality.
If you install Android Auto 10.4 and notice any changes worth mentioning, drop us a line in the comment box below. I'll also post follow-up stories if any new features are discovered.
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