Android Auto may stop working on older phones

Android smartphones have a limited lifespan, just like the software they run on. If you’re using a phone with Android 8 or an older version and rely on Android Auto for navigation and entertainment in your car, you may encounter a problem. Google is now enforcing a minimum requirement for the phone’s operating system for the first time.

According to 9to5Google, users with phones running on operating system versions older than Android 9.0 (released in late 2018) are experiencing errors when trying to use Android Auto in their vehicles. This requirement was announced earlier this year, and the grace period seems to have ended. A user with an LG V30 from 2017 was surprised to see a pop-up message stating, “This phone no longer supports Android Auto.”

The message indicated that the phone needed the latest version of Android, which could be especially frustrating for V30 owners since the device is no longer receiving software support from its manufacturer.

StatCounter data shows that just over 4 percent of Android users worldwide are still using a version older than Android 9.0. However, not all of these users may have cars or use Android Auto.

Google and Samsung are now promising longer software support for their new devices in an effort to compete with Apple’s renowned support for older iPhones. This serves as a reminder that as you hold onto your phone for longer, you may encounter more issues with software compatibility.