Not too long after the prior version, Google has started rolling out Android Auto 7.8 to some users while also doing some new tests with its beta group for the app.
Android Auto 7.8 is now available
This week we saw Android Auto 7.8 start rolling out to users, primarily in the beta track. That comes just a few weeks after Google launched 7.6 and 7.7 to users in early and mid-May, respectively. Like those two updates, though, there are no major changes to the platform that we can see.
Certainly, this isn’t the “Coolwalk” update that delivered on the revamped Android Auto experience that Google showed off at I/O 2022 earlier this month.
While there are no major changes visible just yet, it’s very likely that there are plenty of bug fixes under the hood. Android Auto 7.8 might continue work on compatibility issues, as we saw Google doing with the prior update for Galaxy smartphone owners. Stay tuned, as we’ll keep an eye out for any notable fixes that Google brings.
To get Android Auto 7.8 on your device, keep an eye on updates in the Google Play Store. As mentioned, you may need to be in the beta program in order to get the update. Currently, Google is still using Android Auto 7.6 for many users in the stable track.
Beta users caught in a setup loop
One thing that you might notice around this update is a redo of the initial setup process, as the folks over at Android Police highlighted. One user on Reddit as well as one of the publication’s readers saw a message appear saying:
Testing Android Auto setup
You’ll go through setup again next time you connect
This message gives users a heads up that they may need to run through the setup process, which is usually a one-time process on first use, a second time. The message seems to be showing up for a lot of users, including some on the new Android Auto 7.8 release. Some say that, true to the message, they did need to repeat setup on their next ride.
It does not appear that there’s anything markedly different going on with setup at this point, but it’s possible Google is just testing out some very minor, behind-the-scenes tweaks. We’d speculate that, perhaps, this is laying the groundwork for some setup changes related to the upcoming redesign, but right now there’s nothing to confirm that.
Notably, too, the one reader Android Police cited also said that this required them to use a wired connection to their car instead of a wireless one, but no one else we could find reported the same results. Your results may vary. Wireless Android Auto, as great as it is, is notorious for being a bit flaky at times.
More on Android Auto:
- Android Auto for Phone Screens is officially dying for everyone
- AAWireless, the first wireless Android Auto dongle, is about to graduate from Indiegogo
- ‘Driving Mode’ is your replacement for mobile Android Auto – Here’s how to use it
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