One of the best things about technology is that it’s constantly evolving: Newer, faster phones are introduced, and various apps have been launched to help make life easier to navigate. But with these advantages come drawbacks, because sometimes the technical features we know and love are phased out. Android users may be disappointed to learn that the One Phone feature has been discontinued immediately. Read on to find out what you can no longer do on your Android, and what you might have to use instead.
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So far this year, Android users have faced various updates and changes, thanks to Google, which owns and operates the operating system (OS) for these devices. The tech giant removed the YouTube Go app from the Google Play store, with plans to shut it down completely in August. And bookworms came back in April when it was announced that they could no longer purchase digital books in the Barnes & Noble Nook Android app. Doubling down on this, Google also eliminated the ability to purchase audiobook titles from Amazon’s Audible for Google Play Android app with a credit or debit card.
And while not being able to stream video or buy a new eBook can be frustrating, Google has now decided to take away one of Android’s more useful and convenient capabilities.
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With Android Auto, you can use all of your phone’s capabilities while staying safe on the road. When you plug your smartphone into a designated port in your car, the system populates your Android apps on a screen in the central console. It allows you to play music, get driving directions or make phone calls using voice commands and while remaining hands-free. Unfortunately, this feature is limited to cars equipped with Android Auto, which means your vehicle probably doesn’t have this feature if it was made before 2015when the system was introduced.
Previously, Android users without a new, compatible car could access this nifty feature directly on their smartphonebut that’s no longer an option. now you are Only As 9to5Google reports, it’s able to use Android Auto when connected to the car, which means those with older vehicles are out of luck.
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According to 9to5Google, this shift has been a long time coming. Google originally announced plans to remove Android Auto from phones in 2019, introducing the temporary Android Auto to phone screens. And earlier this month, users started seeing a message that read, “Android Auto for phone screens will soon stop working”, the outlet reported.
Android Auto for phone screen isn’t available on anything above Android 12 OS, but if you had an earlier version, you were still able to use it. This week, however, users received a new message in the app informing them that “Android Auto is now only available for car screens.”
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While Android users may feel bogged down by its ability to access Android Auto directly on their phones, Google actually has a reason behind this decision.
9to5Google reported that the tech giant is pushing for changes to the Google Assistant driving mode, a new user interface (UI) that was announced back in 2019 and rolled out in 2021. And while it doesn’t replace Android Auto for cars, those without a compatible vehicle can run Google Assistant driving mode on their smartphone itself.
But 9to5Google compared both the UIs and found that the new UI has some drawbacks. For starters, a voice command for the easiest way to start driving mode, before adding a shortcut to your home screen. By comparison, the Android Auto for Phone screen was simply downloaded from the Google Play Store and opened from your home screen. Google Assistant driving mode also doesn’t work in landscape (when you turn your phone horizontally), displays limited media options, and is only available in certain countriesunlike its predecessor.
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