Google maintains tight control over the apps it allows in Android Auto, limiting them to a closed list of app types like navigation or, more recently, home automation. This list will be a little less closed in the future because Android Auto will support third-party search applications.

We are talking about alternative applications to the phone application, Like TrueCaller or ACR PhoneUntil now, there was no way to get them to work in Android Auto, even though you set them as the default phone app.

Android Auto is open to more types of apps

Google has been slowly opening the doors of Android Auto to more types of apps for a while now. Apps available for Android Auto specific categories such as multimedia, messaging, navigation or places of interest and use a set of custom templates that make most apps of the same type look almost the same for that category.

Now Android Authority has found references in Android Auto 13.0 code stating that other app types will be supported: phone apps to make calls. Today, Android Auto is compatible with pre-installed third-party phone dialers, such as both Google Phone and Samsung, which are increasingly hard to find.

Samsung phone on Android Auto though functionality is exactly the same as Google Phone except for the icon

This excludes alternatives with additional functionality Like TrueCaller or ACR Phone. The first is a famous alternative for filtering spam and identifying calls. The second focused on recording calls. We will still have to wait to find out whether this new launch of Android Auto will allow us to enjoy these advantages of the car.

Now the code indicates that although third-party phone dialers are supported, the list will be closed and will not apply to any alternativesat least initially.

Google’s own developer documentation concludes that “the Calls category for apps built with the Android App Library for Vehicles is only available to beta partners,” so we’ll still have to wait to find out. What will be the first applications? while participating.

via | Android Authority

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