Android Auto Coolwalk out of beta today (public stable release)

[Big Cam]

Does this mean once our phone updates the android auto app, that it'll show up new in the truck, or do we still need a SYNC update that no one can get unless they install it themselves??
https://www.androidpolice.com/android-auto-redesign-rollout-ces-2023/

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[pavementends]

Well, yes, kind of... I've been part of AA's beta program for a couple of months but DO NOT have the APIM update to enable Coolwalk (full screen AA) but I can confirm there is still a different AA GUI without full screen enabled... more intuitive taskbar widgets and ability to switch between screen easier. So now that Google has released AA updates for everyone (on the phone side) your AA will look a little different. Vast majority of us still need the truck side update to get full screen, though...

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

Does this mean once our phone updates the android auto app, that it'll show up new in the truck, or do we still need a SYNC update that no one can get unless they install it themselves??
https://www.androidpolice.com/android-auto-redesign-rollout-ces-2023/

You will still need the SYNC update to 3.5.3 or installed version through FDRS 22228 to be able to take advantage of AA cool walk full screen capability.

 

[Big Cam]

Well, yes, kind of... I've been part of AA's beta program for a couple of months but DO NOT have the APIM update to enable Coolwalk (full screen AA) but I can confirm there is still a different AA GUI without full screen enabled... more intuitive taskbar widgets and ability to switch between screen easier. So now that Google has released AA updates for everyone (on the phone side) your AA will look a little different. Vast majority of us still need the truck side update to get full screen, though...

Thank you, that's good to know that we'll still get the redesign without the SYNC update.

You will still need the SYNC update to 3.5.3 or installed version through FDRS 22228 to be able to take advantage of AA cool walk full screen capability.

Fair enough, full screen will be cool, but is not a critical thing.


Thank you both for the info.

 

[rugedraw]

Well, yes, kind of... I've been part of AA's beta program for a couple of months but DO NOT have the APIM update to enable Coolwalk (full screen AA) but I can confirm there is still a different AA GUI without full screen enabled... more intuitive taskbar widgets and ability to switch between screen easier. So now that Google has released AA updates for everyone (on the phone side) your AA will look a little different. Vast majority of us still need the truck side update to get full screen, though...

You were right about the Mongoose. lol

Great. Now I have to wait to get mine back to update my own truck. I've been waiting for months for this. lol

 

[pavementends]

You will still need the SYNC update to 3.5.3 or installed version through FDRS 22228 to be able to take advantage of AA cool walk full screen capability.

Right... the PHONE SIDE for everyone is now Cool Walked, but the TRUCK SIDE (for most of us) still needs to be updated.

You were right about the Mongoose. lol

Great. Now I have to wait to get mine back to update my own truck. I've been waiting for months for this. lol

Wait, what? You haven't updated your APIM with your Mongoose in preparation for Google to end AA beta? Why not?

 

[rugedraw]

Because I was hoping Ford would get their sh*t together and send the OTA before CoolWalk came out of beta. I don't want to reward Ford with another $50 for an FDRS license to do it. When I updated my truck last September, the update needed for full screen wasn't in FDRS yet. Otherwise I would have gone it then.

 

[pavementends]

Because I was hoping Ford would get their sh*t together and send the OTA before CoolWalk came out of beta. I don't want to reward Ford with another $50 for an FDRS license to do it. When I updated my truck last September, the update needed for full screen wasn't in FDRS yet. Otherwise I would have gone it then.

Ahhh got it. Ford is going to get more and more pressure to activate CoolWalk in their vehicles now that everyone's phones are enabled.

 

[rugedraw]

Ahhh got it. Ford is going to get more and more pressure to activate CoolWalk in their vehicles now that everyone's phones are enabled.

They haven't catered to the iPhone users who've had the capability forever, so why would they care about us?

 

[hotrodmex]

I'm unclear why everyone is saying you need 3.5.3 for CoolWalk to be relevant. It has nothing to do with full screen, as part of the redesign is specifically for making smaller screen layouts more usable. I mean, when you shrink the display on a fully updated SYNC, you still have the redesigned layout, and that's what a non-updated truck will have. It's not as functional, but it's there.

CoolWalk is a server side change made by Google for your account, so even if you have the Beta or the latest version, until it rolls out to you nothing will change. I was rocking sideloaded Betas before I got into the program and nothing was different because the server side wasn't switched. I had already updated to 3.5.3, also, so it had nothing to do with that update. As soon as I got into the official Beta it was turned on.

It will roll out in stages to users, surely. You don't dump a new product on millions of users all at once.

 

[pavementends]

I'm unclear why everyone is saying you need 3.5.3 for CoolWalk to be relevant. It has nothing to do with full screen, as part of the redesign is specifically for making smaller screen layouts more usable. I mean, when you shrink the display on a fully updated SYNC, you still have the redesigned layout, and that's what a non-updated truck will have. It's not as functional, but it's there.

CoolWalk is a server side change made by Google for your account, so even if you have the Beta or the latest version, until it rolls out to you nothing will change. I was rocking sideloaded Betas before I got into the program and nothing was different because the server side wasn't switched. I had already updated to 3.5.3, also, so it had nothing to do with that update. As soon as I got into the official Beta it was turned on.

It will roll out in stages to users, surely. You don't dump a new product on millions of users all at once.

Because I/we are eager to have our phone projected across the entire 12" screen in our truck. The factory side panel display options (audio, eco behaivor, trip counter, etc), for many of us, are unused and a waste of screen space when the information we really want (Google Maps navigation, Spotify info/controls, glimpses of the text message we just received, etc) is on our phone screen, which we shouldn't be holding or looking at while driving.

I was (also) in the beta program and, actually, my truck side display DID change the second I got into the beta program without an APIM update in my truck - just didn't have full screen option. Not sure what you meant there.

And I'm pretty sure it did in fact go out to tens of millions today. I think the multiple opportunities to join the beta program was their way of phasing the roll out. Thoughts?

 

[hotrodmex]

I was (also) in the beta program and, actually, my truck side display DID change the second I got into the beta program without an APIM update in my truck - just didn't have full screen option. Not sure what you meant there.

That's what I'm saying. Above were people saying that you couldn't make use of CoolWalk without the 3.5.3 update, that you needed 3.5.3 for CoolWalk to take effect. I'm saying you should be able to even if your APIM/SYNC is behind and stuck in '8" mode', which is what you are saying right there.

 

[pavementends]

That's what I'm saying. Above were people saying that you couldn't make use of CoolWalk without the 3.5.3 update, that you needed 3.5.3 for CoolWalk to take effect. I'm saying you should be able to even if your APIM,SYNC is behind and stuck in '8" mode', which is what you are saying right there.

Copy that. From pics I've seen from people who applied the APIM update via FDRS (or were among the very few who got 3.5.3 via OTA), AA does look a little different when full screen enabled. The widgets/task bar are on the left side (closer to driver), while the '8" mode' has them at the bottom of the screen. Subtle layout change. But you're right, most of the benies are available now. I am still tempted to take the reins from Ford and update my truck myself.

 

[Nomis]

Stupid question from a new ford owner here.

When I was going through the update menu, it appeared as though you have to be connected to actual wifi??? It doesn't actually get legit OTA updates? What if you can't pick up your home's wifi?

 

[rugedraw]

Stupid question from a new ford owner here.

When I was going through the update menu, it appeared as though you have to be connected to actual wifi??? It doesn't actually get legit OTA updates? What if you can't pick up your home's wifi?

Not a single OTA released thus far requires WiFi. The truck can do it with it's own data plan.

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