Summary
Google Maps reigns supreme in geographic information and navigation accuracy, making it a best choice for Android Auto customers.
Google Assistant outshines Siri with its environment friendly language processing and third-party app help, enhancing the Android Auto expertise.
Android Auto presents extra helpful notifications and better third-party app help in comparison with AutomobilePlay, making it a powerful contender within the automotive area.
Apple might have deserted its electrical automotive challenge, however the firm is nonetheless very a lot a significant participant within the automotive area. Watch any current automobile advert or evaluate, and one of many first and most constant stuff you’ll see talked about is whether or not it helps AutomobilePlay or not. Google’s Android Auto platform is within the combine too, however typically instances it seems like an afterthought, seemingly thought of subpar to Apple’s providing — and that could not be farther from the reality. In reality, for plenty of drivers, Android Auto would possibly simply be the better choice.
Related Android Auto vs. AutomobilePlay: Which is better? Should you retain an iPhone in your automotive?
1 Google Maps is simply better
Alphabet’s trusty navigator is nonetheless king of the open highway
This explicit purpose should not want an excessive amount of rationalization. Google launched its mapping software program all the way in which again in 2005, and Apple Maps did not go public till 7 years later, in 2012. There is clearly much more parity between the 2 as we speak than there was 10 years in the past, however I do not suppose anybody would disagree that Google nonetheless holds a commanding lead on this division. Not solely is Google Maps obtainable on extra platforms, together with Apple’s AutomobilePlay, but it surely additionally has a wider vary of options, and supplies extra correct and dependable navigation information.
Obviously, accuracy and reliability might be subjective relying in your location, however objectively, Google Maps simply has extra geographic information to drag from. Google had almost a decade’s head begin on Apple in accumulating mapping information, plus all of its search engine/enterprise information, and no matter advert/monitoring information it pulls in from customers. This helps Google Maps excel in areas like calculating route instances and offering real-time visitors (for roads or eating places) data, and it isn’t laborious to see why having it because the native mapping software program works in favor of Android Auto.
2 Google Assistant runs circles round Siri
Apple’s dedication to privateness retains its assistant in the dead of night
Google Assistant on the Pixel 8
Unlike with Maps, Apple really had a head begin within the digital assistant area, launching Siri in 2011 — a full 5 years earlier than Google Assistant got here out — however its dedication to person privateness, early stumbles in cloud computing, and an absence of dedication on enhancements actually stifled its improvement. Again, I do not suppose many customers would disagree that on the subject of Siri versus Google Assistant, the latter is objectively better because of its extra correct and environment friendly language processing, and better help for third get together apps.
The broader third get together app help could make an enormous distinction when in a shifting automobile, the place most of your interactions with the system are finished by way of voice instructions. The identical might be mentioned for the built-in AI performance in Google Assistant, which might do issues like summarize lengthier textual content messages for you, so you may spend much less time listening to (or worse, studying) messages and extra time specializing in the highway. The backside line right here is, in case you are judging which one has the better and extra succesful voice assistant, you must give it to Android Auto.
3 Notifications are extra helpful
I would like to have the ability to learn my texts (when it is protected to take action)
This one might be thought of a win or a loss for Apple, relying in your ideas relating to distracted driving. The AutomobilePlay expertise is very streamlined and aimed toward diverting the driving force’s consideration as little as potential. Everything is run by way of Siri, together with textual content message studying and writing, and you do not get interactive notifications of any sort that will help you faucet for fast actions like cellphone calls or messages.
Kudos to Apple for considering of security first, however you might actually make the argument that having the ability to shortly look at a textual content message, or faucet on a message alert for a fast response or cellphone name, would possibly really be safer than fumbling round with a voice assistant — particularly since we have already established that Siri is not profitable any awards for accuracy or effectivity. Again, whereas it is easy to argue this is some extent in Apple’s favor, not Google’s, for general notification usefulness, Android Auto is the clear winner.
4 Better third-party app help
He who hath essentially the most apps, instructions the dashboard
Source: Sygic
Just like with Google Assistant, Android Auto as a complete advantages from (a lot) better third-party app help. I wasn’t capable of finding precise present numbers to actually present the distinction, and each the App Store and the Google Play Store are terrible at rounding these up for you, but it surely is my understanding that Android Auto helps a number of thousand third-party functions, and AutomobilePlay app help is nonetheless properly under the one thousand mark.
This is clearly topic to alter at actually any second, and points with app help are actually going to range relying in your particular person wants, however at a macro stage, in case you have a extra area of interest or obscure app you want to make use of in your automotive, the percentages are merely better that Auto will help it. And it does not even have to be an obscure app — Facebook Messenger works nice with Android Auto, and it is nonetheless not supported by AutomobilePlay. Hope your group chats are in a special app, since you will not discover it right here.
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5 Android Auto will warn you while you’re dashing
(*5*) beginning to suppose Apple desires me to get dashing tickets
One of my favourite little options on AutomobilePlay is that it tells you the present velocity restrict of no matter highway you’re on while you’re driving. It’s nice for while you’re on an extended highway journey, or touring to an unfamiliar space, and also you get the sensation that you’re going quicker than everybody, and there is not a velocity restrict sign up sight. A fast look at your display screen, and you’ll regulate your velocity accordingly. But, in fact, Android Auto takes issues a step additional by displaying you how briskly you’re going, and it may well even warn you when you’re dashing.
There are a couple of asterisks right here. For one, this function is not obtainable on a regular basis on Auto. You must be navigating someplace, both in Split Screen mode or in a 3rd get together app like Waze, and performance can range relying in your cellphone’s model of Android and the mannequin of your automotive. It’s additionally value noting that though AutomobilePlay cannot at the moment do that, this is one of many options rumored to make its debut within the subsequent iteration of the platform, later this 12 months. All of this being mentioned, we’re nonetheless marking this a “W” for Android Auto.
Does this imply Android Auto is the better automotive platform?
It actually relies on the person. That might sound like a cliché or a cop-out, but it surely’s actually the one appropriate reply right here. Android Auto and AutomobilePlay are shut sufficient in options and expertise that I do not suppose both one could be value switching cellular ecosystems for. The actual takeaway from this must be that, whereas one might actually argue that Apple is profitable the advertising and marketing and mindshare sport on this area, Android Auto is clearly the better system in at the least a couple of key areas. And if you happen to and a few associates are planning a highway journey this summer season, you would possibly wish to put the Android person in command of in-car navigation.
https://www.androidpolice.com/5-reasons-android-auto-better-than-apple-carplay/
