Google is pulling the plug on Android Auto updates for some older phones

If you have an older Android phone, there’s a chance it might not support the latest versions of Android Auto much longer. In July 2024, Google announced that to run the newest versions of Android Auto, your phone would need to be running Android 9.0 or higher. However, it never actually made the change, and its latest updates continued to support Android 8.0 and above. Fast-forward more than a year later, and that is finally about to change.

According to Auto Evolution, with the latest Android Auto update, version 15.5, Google has changed the system requirements for Android Auto to now require a device running Android 9.0 or higher. This means if you have a device running Android 8, you will no longer receive the latest Android Auto updates, and the last supported update you can download is Android Auto 15.4.

Currently, when you visit the Google Play Store, Android Auto indicates it still supports Android 8.0 or higher, but this will change when Android Auto 15.5 launches, which could be within the next month or so, as it is currently in its testing phase before a broader rollout.

Android 8 isn’t extinct yet

It’s possible Android Auto could stop working entirely on Android 8 at some point

Although Android 8 was released back in 2017, some people still use it. According to the latest Android distribution figures, about four percent of users are still on Android 8, with one percent using Android 8.0 and 3 percent on Android 8.1. So, while it’s not a large percentage, it still has an impact. The last time Google updated the Android Auto system requirements was in 2022, when it set Android 8 as the minimum requirement for the latest updates and discontinued support for Android 7.

Android Auto version 15.5 isn’t a major update and mainly consists of bug fixes. If you have a phone running Android 8, you won’t be missing out on much just yet. However, this could change soon, especially as Google prepares to introduce Gemini to Android Auto.

It’s worth noting that while Android Auto will continue to work on devices running Android 8, there is a chance that Google may eventually discontinue support entirely. This means not only will Android 8 devices no longer receive Android Auto updates, but it might also stop functioning properly, as has happened in the past with devices running Android 7 and older.

If you’re still running Android 8 and don’t want to miss out on the latest Android Auto updates, your main options are to update to Android 9 if your device supports it or to upgrade to a newer device running a more current version of Android, such as Android 15 or Android 16.

For those new to Android Auto, it’s an app that displays some of your phone’s features on your car’s infotainment screen. This allows safer use of certain apps while driving, including navigation apps like Waze and Google Maps, as well as music streaming services such as Spotify and YouTube Music. It is similar to Apple CarPlay, which offers a comparable experience for iPhones.