Coolwalk promises a huge upgrade on current in-car Android capabilities and aims to push its main rival, Apple’s CarPlay, all the way when it comes to meeting drivers’ needs. Google originally set this summer as the launch date, but we’ve been kept waiting until well into the winter. With a widespread release now on the horizon, here’s what we can expect from this revolutionary new upgrade.
Compatible with all vehicle screen sizes
This latest version of Android Auto comes with a three-card system which makes it fully adaptable to any vehicle screen size. One card is dedicated to music and audio controls, another to mapping and navigation, while the third is for Auto’s Assistant feature which will make upgraded smart suggestions. This isn’t the first time this has happened, of course: CarPlay’s dashboard has similar capabilities, but splitting the Android Auto UI into multiple cards will bring users more flexibility than ever. Coolwalk will work on both standard and widescreen resolutions, too, so users won’t have to worry about a blurry display, but will instead be getting crisp graphics beamed into their vehicle.
Run multiple apps simultaneously with dual-page widget
Trying to multi-task while driving is never a good idea, especially when it’s something that demands your attention. Playing video or online casino games, for example, should be completely off-limits. If you’re parked, though, and want to have two apps open at the same time, Coolwalk’s new multi-card UI means you can now run several apps side-by-side. Its dual-page widget lets you split the screen so that you can jump between the two easily, without opening and closing tabs.
Enhanced User Interface allows viewing of key data
Coolwalk’s enhanced UI will allow drivers to easily view key data on the display, including phone signal, battery status, and notifications. Assistant will have a permanent presence there, too; ready to press ahead with the voice-activated suggestions mentioned earlier. There’ll also be buttons for opening the app grid, alongside a YouTube icon and possibly a gateway to a streaming app like Tubi TV or Epix. Again, this will add to the off-road options for drivers, who may find the extra entertainment features handy when waiting around or charging their electric vehicle (if they have one).
The Spotify ‘For You’ interface
In older versions, you had two options for Spotify: to maximize the music app to full size or minimize it with the playback controls present. Coolwalk’s multi-app capability, though, will let you see music controls, album cover art and the famous For You interface on the screen at the same time as other apps. This makes more economical use of the screen space and gives the screen a more streamlined look, with Android users often complaining about the clunky appearance of older versions.
Message emojis and chat features
Letting friends and family know of your whereabouts will get simpler with Coolwalk via several new or updated features. First, it’ll be possible to share ETAs (Estimated Time of Arrival) with contacts with just one click, while Auto Assistant will be on hand to easily relay other messaging information to contacts. Like with previous updates, there’ll probably be a wider expanse of emojis available, too: something that’s usually popular with Android users.
A gradual release
Ahead of the official Coolwalk roll-out, an unpolished version is available, but this requires your phone to be rooted: something that carries a significant risk. Instead, Google is likely to carry out a server-side switch which will allow them to control the rollout more carefully. If a bug appears, it can disable Coolwalk temporarily so they can fix it, thus limiting the damage. A gradual release will also let Google study feedback from Coolwalk’s first users and adjust its features before going on to a full-blown adoption. This means an official release date is difficult to predict, but we do know that Coolwalk will be integrated into a future Auto update automatically, so users won’t need to do anything other than accept the update to access the new upgrade. When it does finally arrive, Android users hoping for an auto feature that surpasses CarPlay’s capabilities could be very happy indeed.
