Google publishes the Android Auto app to the Play Store

We first heard about Android Auto, Google’s foray into the automobile world, back at Google I/O 2014. While we’ve heard a ton of companies announce their plans to eventually make aftermarket head units, it’s taken quite awhile for Google to get the OS out to consumers. With that said, now consumers can finally get their chance to experience Auto for themselves, because Google has just published the Android Auto app to the Play Store.

The Android Auto app will allow you to listen to music, navigate using Google Maps, and a few other functions we’ve known about for awhile now. If you’re interested, here’s the full app description from the Play Store:

• Navigation with Google Maps – Free turn-by-turn navigation with lane guidance, live traffic conditions, points of interest, and more
• Hands-free phone and messaging – Make calls and send messages without taking your hands off the wheel
• Info and assistance – Get weather, traffic, commute information and more organized into simple cards
• Bring your music – Listen to your music and playlists in the car with your built-in stereo system

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To make the app work, you’ll need to have a device running Android 5.0 Lollipop or higher, and you’ll need an Android Auto-compatible aftermarket head unit. Pioneer is the first manufacturer to bring its Android Auto head units to market, and so far the company has a number of units for sale in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. If you live in one of those areas and would like some more information, visit Pioneer’s website here.

Developers can now begin to push their Android Auto apps to Google Play for review. Google has made a handy Android Auto section in the Play Store for apps that can run on aftermarket head units. Applications in the list so far include Spotify, Stitcher, Pocket Casts, Google Play Music and many more.

We’ve scored some hands-on time with a number of different Android Auto head units in the past. Google first showed it off at I/O last year, and we even got some insight on Hyundai’s plans for the OS at CES 2015. We’ll certainly have more coverage for you as more head units become available. But for now, check out the videos below for some more info.

It might be awhile before most consumers can get their hands on a head unit. Even so, Google publishing the official app is a nice move forward. If you’d like to check out the Android Auto app for yourself, head to the Play Store link below.

Hugo Barra clarifies Xiaomi’s new relationship with Microsoft

Yesterday news broke that Windows 10 would be coming to the Xiaomi Mi4 in the form of a flashable ROM. As you might expect, this immediately led to all sorts of wild conclusions about how Xiaomi is getting into bed with Microsoft, or how future Xiaomi phones might offer dual-booting, ditch MIUI entirely in favor of Windows, and the list goes on.

In order to clarify the situation a bit further, Xiaomi’s Hugo Barra took to Google Plus with a statement. In the statement, Barra reiterates that this is just an experimental program led by Microsoft that Xiaomi is allowing, not necessarily directly participating in. The arrangement lets Microsoft work “directly with the Mi fan community in China”, but in no ways signals that Xiaomi has interest in moving away from the Android ecosystem and their MIUI software platform.

Quite the contrary. Xiaomi says they are “moving ahead full steam” to build “many exciting new Android-based features and services”. Hugo Barra also shoots down the idea of a dual-booting arrangement, or the idea that Windows 10 might run on top of Android in any way. Bottom-line, Xiaomi says they are supportive of users trying new things and “encourages them to do so all the time!”

Here’s statement in full:

We received many questions from Mi fans about an announcement made by Microsoft yesterday regarding Windows 10 Technical Preview for Mi 4 users in China. We’d like to clarify a few points.

– This is an experimental program led by Microsoft, working directly with the Mi fan community in China.

– Microsoft is working on a build of Windows 10 specifically for Mi 4 devices. This Windows 10 build will not be running on top of Android nor be available as a dual-boot option. A small number of Mi 4 power users from the Xiaomi Forum in China who choose to take part in this experimental program will have to manually re-flash their Mi 4 devices with this Windows 10 ROM, in the same way they would re-flash other Android ROMs.

– At Xiaomi, we are very supportive of users trying new things and we encourage them to do so all the time! That’s why all of our devices ship with unlocked bootloader, for example. That’s also why Xiaomi welcomes Microsoft team members to interact directly with members of the Xiaomi Forum in China. More details will be announced by Microsoft in the coming months. This program will only be available in China.

– Xiaomi continues to fully embrace the Android ecosystem through our MIUI software platform and we’re moving ahead full steam building many exciting new Android-based features and services.

What do you think of the idea of Windows 10 coming to Xiaomi, and likely other Android devices, in the future? The more ROMing options the better? Will this move actually have any positive impact for Microsoft?