Google has raised the minimum Android version required to use Android Auto through a wired connection. The change means smartphones running Android 9 Pie and Android 10 will no longer officially support the feature.
Users will now need a smartphone running Android 11 or a newer version to connect their devices to compatible cars using a USB cable. The updated requirement has appeared on Google's Android Auto support page, replacing Android 9 Pie, which was previously listed as the minimum supported version.
Android Auto has seen its minimum software requirements raised over time by Google. The previous two systems to be retired were Android 6 in 2022 and Android 8 in 2024, and the current update sees Android 9 and Android 10 joining them.
This comes in light of a previous report in October that saw users of Android 10 begin to receive notifications about losing Android Auto.
The change could have a profound impact on smartphone owners whose device no longer gets any significant upgrades in Android. Some of these smartphones include Samsung Galaxy S9, Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact.
It is noteworthy that all these smartphones no longer get any significant upgrade in Android, with Android 10 marking the end of the road. This implies that their owners will no longer be able to upgrade using an official software update.
This would have profound implications for those users who use Android Auto for navigation, calls and music.
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Users with smartphones eligible for newer Android versions can install the available software update to continue using Android Auto.
Nevertheless, people who are locked down to Android 10 on their devices might have to think about switching to a new phone. This development further underlines Google's ongoing attempts at discontinuing the support for the old Android versions.