What music player app works with Android Auto?

Android Auto is Google’s in-car platform that allows drivers to access apps and services from an Android phone on the vehicle’s display. It was first announced in 2014 and has become widely supported across many new cars and aftermarket head units.

One of the main features of Android Auto is its ability to play music and audio content seamlessly in the car. When connected to Android Auto, apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and others can be controlled through the vehicle’s interface or touchscreen. This allows drivers to safely access their music libraries, streaming stations, playlists, and podcasts without handling their phone.

As Android Auto has grown in popularity and usage over the years, the variety and capability of music apps available has also expanded. While Google’s own apps tend to have the deepest integration, many third-party options now also work well with Android Auto. Understanding which music players fully support Android Auto and which have limitations can help drivers pick the best option for their needs.

How Android Auto Works

Android Auto allows you to connect your Android smartphone to your car’s infotainment system, either wirelessly through Bluetooth or with a USB cable. It provides an interface optimized for driving that runs on your car’s display. Android Auto does not actually mirror your phone’s screen.

Instead, Android Auto allows certain apps on your phone to display a driving-friendly interface on your car’s screen. It runs these apps on your phone and wirelessly casts them to your car’s display. Supported apps include Google Maps, Google Assistant, music apps, messaging apps, and more.

When you connect your phone to Android Auto, it launches the Android Auto app on your phone. This app has a home screen with big icons and touch targets. You can tap these icons to open supported apps. Android Auto essentially acts as a middle layer to format supported apps for your car’s display.

So Android Auto does not mirror your entire phone screen, it just wirelessly displays interfaces from certain apps in a simplified layout optimized for driving. The apps themselves run on your phone, with Android Auto casting the display to your car’s head unit.

Default Music Apps

Android Auto has several default music apps that will work immediately out of the box without any additional setup. These include:

  • Google Play Music – Google’s own music service that comes pre-installed on most Android phones. Since it is made by Google, Google Play Music has deep integration with Android Auto and will start playing as soon as your phone connects (provided you have an active subscription).
  • Spotify – The popular streaming app Spotify also works seamlessly with Android Auto. As long as you have the app installed and are logged in, Spotify will automatically appear in your Android Auto menu and you can select it to start playing music.
  • YouTube Music – Google’s other music service designed to replace Google Play Music also has native support in Android Auto. It will show up in the menu by default like Spotify and Google Play Music.

The key takeaway is that if you primarily use one of these 3 services, you won’t have to do any special setup to get them working in Android Auto as they are default apps. Just make sure you have the app installed on your phone and are logged in.

Other Supported Apps

In addition to the default music apps, there are several other popular apps that work well with Android Auto (Beebom, 2022). These include:

  • Amazon Music – Amazon’s music streaming service is fully compatible with Android Auto. You can access your music library, playlists, stations and more. Amazon Music also supports hands-free “Alexa” commands for voice control.
  • Tidal – This high-fidelity music streaming app integrates smoothly with Android Auto. You can browse Tidal’s library of over 60 million tracks and play any song, album or playlist.
  • Pandora – Pandora’s internet radio app lets you access your customized stations in your car through Android Auto. It also has voice control features.
  • Deezer – You can use this freemium music streaming app to play your owned music as well as Deezer’s library of 90+ million tracks.

These music apps cover a wide variety of genres and listening preferences. Their full integration with Android Auto’s interface and voice commands makes them convenient to use while driving. With these options, you’re bound to find a music app that suits your needs.

Apps with Limited Support

Some popular music apps have limited compatibility with Android Auto. Two examples are Apple Music and SoundCloud.

Apple Music will work with Android Auto, but has some issues. Songs may play for a few seconds before muting, even though the app still shows the song as playing. This appears to be an ongoing problem based on reports from users. Apple Music integration is present, but unreliable on Android Auto.

SoundCloud also has partial support. Users have reported being able to access and play SoundCloud tracks through Android Auto, but the interface can be “messy” as it’s not natively integrated. Some users have had trouble getting SoundCloud to appear at all on Android Auto. Overall, SoundCloud functions to some extent but lacks deep integration with Android Auto. As stated on SoundCloud’s help site, users can select and play SoundCloud tracks but control is limited.

Unsupported Music Apps

Some popular music apps are currently not supported by Android Auto, including iHeartRadio and TuneIn. This means you cannot directly access or control these apps through the Android Auto interface while driving.

For example, if you try to play iHeartRadio stations or podcasts from the TuneIn app, they will not appear in Android Auto even if you have the apps installed on your phone. There is no native integration or casting support from these apps to Android Auto.

According to user forums and Reddit threads, this lack of support for iHeartRadio is a frequently requested feature. However, currently the iHeartRadio app only states Android Auto support is “coming soon” with no definite timeline (1).

Similarly, TuneIn currently does not allow casting or direct control through Android Auto. The TuneIn help site confirms the service is not presently compatible with Android Auto (2).

While there are workarounds like using voice commands or the Google Assistant, the lack of seamless integration and control can be an annoyance for users accustomed to these apps. Hopefully Android Auto will expand its music app integrations in the future.

(1) https://help.iheart.com/hc/en-us/articles/115002803291-Adding-iHeartRadio-via-Android-Auto

(2) https://help.tunein.com/contact/android-auto-bb30508521#:~:text=Android%20Auto%20is%20a%20platform,Auto%20at%20this%20time%2C%20unfortunately.

Workarounds to Play Unsupported Apps

If your favorite music app isn’t compatible with Android Auto, there are some workarounds to still be able to listen to it in your car. Here are a few options:

Connect Your Phone via Bluetooth: You can connect your phone to your car’s Bluetooth and play music from any app over your car’s speakers. The downside is you won’t have Android Auto’s convenient interface, but you’ll still get your audio.

Use the Google Assistant: Try using voice commands through the Google Assistant to play songs, playlists, or albums from unsupported apps. Say “Hey Google, play X playlist on Y app” and it may work.

Install Additional Apps: Some third-party apps like AutoMate can extend Android Auto’s functionality and allow you to launch and control unsupported audio apps through an on-screen interface. These require setup but can work well.

Switch to a Different App: Consider switching to using a fully compatible Android Auto music app as your default if the workarounds aren’t cutting it. While inconvenient, this is the only way to get full integration.

Tips for Using Music Apps

Here are some tips for setting up and troubleshooting music apps with Android Auto:

To play your own music files stored locally on your Android device, use the Google Play Music app. You can access your music library by using voice commands or directly within the app once connected to Android Auto.

For the best experience, make sure your music files are properly tagged with metadata like artist, album, and track info. This allows Android Auto to easily organize your local files.

Some third-party apps like Spotify offer limited functionality in Android Auto. Check the Android Auto support pages for each app to see which features are available.

If an app isn’t working properly in Android Auto, try re-installing the app on your phone and re-connecting to your car display. Apps need to be optimized for the Android Auto interface.

Use voice commands as much as possible to control your music playback on the go. This allows you to keep your eyes on the road for safety.

Make sure to keep your Android Auto apps updated to the latest versions for the best compatibility and performance.

The Future of Android Auto

Android Auto is continually improving and expanding its capabilities. At CES 2023, Google announced several upcoming developments and changes for Android Auto, including new templated apps, spatial audio, and an improved media experience (https://blog.google/products/android/best-of-android-to-improve-your-drive/).

Templated apps will allow developers to more easily create apps optimized for in-vehicle use. Spatial audio support will provide a surround sound experience in the car. Enhancements to the media experience include easier access to playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks.

At CES 2024, Google revealed additional planned improvements including more personalized recommendations, sharing ETA with contacts, and direct media playback from Android devices. Multi-phone support will also allow users to easily switch between devices for Android Auto (https://blog.google/products/android/android-auto-new-features-ces24/).

Android Auto will continue evolving to provide safer, more convenient infotainment for drivers. With Google’s steady innovation, Android Auto users can look forward to an even more seamless and intuitive in-car experience.

Conclusion

So in summary, Google Play Music and Spotify are the two main music apps that have full integration with Android Auto. Other popular options like Pandora, Amazon Music, and Apple Music have more limited ability to control playback through Android Auto.

While unsupported apps like YouTube Music currently don’t work, there are some workarounds using auxiliary cables or Bluetooth connections to play audio. However, you lose out on Android Auto’s interface and voice controls.

Looking ahead, we can expect more music apps to add support for Android Auto, providing more choices for listeners. Key factors to consider are how well an app is optimized for in-vehicle use and safety.

The ideal music app for Android Auto provides intuitive controls, queue management, and voice operation so you can easily play music without taking your eyes off the road. Focus on finding a music service that offers both a good mobile app and integration with your car’s system.

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