While Android Auto is still in its infancy, it is still growing like crazy. With more and more apps gaining compatibility each week. There are also more and more cars getting Android Auto each day, which is pretty fantastic. So let’s take a look at a few great apps for Android Auto.
Spotify
This is an app that I use daily with Android Auto. It works with both the free and premium subscriptions, and you have access to your playlists, radio stations and your entire library, all from your car. However, you are not able to add songs to different playlists through Android Auto, unfortunately.
Pandora
Everyone’s favorite radio station, right? Pandora also has support for Android Auto. So you can listen to your favorite radio stations, skip songs and so much more. It’s important to have great tunes while you’re stuck in the car, right?
Amazon Music
Recently, Amazon launched their own Music streaming service for Prime members. And even more recently, the app got compatibility to Android Auto. So if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can enjoy free music through Android Auto with their app. This includes radio stations and much more.
The most popular messaging app in China is also supported. While you can’t necessarily browse through your chats in the car, you can respond to messages that you receive in the car. With voice commands, and in our experience it actually worked quite well.
This is another chat app that is compatible with Android Auto. So if I get a message while I’m in the car, I can easily have it read the message to me and reply, all with using voice commands. And with cars with built in Android Auto, you can do this all from the steering wheel. How much easier can it get?
Hangouts
Of course Hangouts is supported. Much like WhatsApp and WeChat, you can have your unread messages read to you, as well as reply to them all through voice commands in the car. With hangouts having SMS support, this makes it even easier.
Pocket Casts
Want to listen to your favorite podcasts in the car? No problem. Pocket Casts, one of our favorite podcast apps, is also available for Android Auto. You can choose to either stream a podcast or play a downloaded one from your phone. You can find all of your favorite podcasts here on Pocket Casts, not to mention a great looking app. It really can’t get any easier than that.
Skype
While many of us Skype for making calls, both video and voice, it can also be used to send messages. Which is how it works with Android Auto. So similar to the others on this list, you can also have your messages read to you, as well as reply via your voice. These commands work from the steering wheel unless you are using an after-market unit here.
BeyondPod
This is another great podcast app, that has support for Android Auto. Similar to Pocket Casts, you can also choose to play a podcast that you have downloaded on your phone or stream one over 4G LTE or 3G. But be careful as that can really kill your data limit in a hurry. But at least your battery will be fine since it is plugged in.
Google Play Music
No surprise here that Google Play Music plays a role in Android Auto. It does work a lot like some of the other apps here. Basically you can play your playlists, albums, radio stations and more. You cannot, however, add a song to your playlist. Which is probably a good thing. As you should be paying attention to the road, right?