Google’s latest requirements will stop some devices running Android 8 or 8.1 from receiving Android Auto updates. Here’s why that is happening.
Over a year after indicating that it plans to raise the minimum Android version requirement for the Android Auto app from version 8.0 (Oreo) to version 9.0 (Pie), Google is finally ready to enforce it. As per the app’s listing on APKMirror, the company recently released three betas of the Android Auto app version 15.5, each requiring Android 9.0 or later for installation, clearly suggesting that the stable release of version 15.5 will not be available for any phone running Android 8.0 or an older version.
Although Google hasn’t shared a specific reason for this, it’s not a completely surprising move by the company, as all companies stop supporting older hardware and software after a certain point. For example, Microsoft has stopped releasing updates for machines running Windows 10. Similarly, older phones don’t always get newer Android versions. This is because older hardware and software are often unable to support new features, which can be Gemini AI in the case of Android Auto.
