Stephen_NM2022 t1_iye8izj wrote on November 30, 2022 at 7:14 PM

I am not going to waste time on a long winded response so I will stick to a couple essentials. This is, BTW, coming from someone who has not switched to an iPhone but instead always carries an iPhone and Android flagship courtesy of my job.

I rent cars constantly and Carplay is the only reliable option across every brand. Android Auto is an actual bug ridden mess, as a quick stop by the Android Auto subreddit will confirm. It (sort of) works in some cars, is tolerable in others, and a disaster in a laughable number of vehicles (crashes, stutter, freezes). Travellers switch to IOS over the [insert your expletive of choice] that is Android Auto. If you came from a Samsung phone then you should already know this since they have more Android Auto problems than any other brand, with Pixels being an ironic second. If you are having problem in A CAR then reset the head unit and check with the dealer for a firmware update. You may just be the exception but those are the usual solutions. They are not Android Auto solutions through since Google pushes out unvetted updates all the time with which manufacturers cannot keep pace.
I will take iPhone notifications anytime over those on any Android device. They always stick until I dismiss them and are not unnecessarily cluttered. When I clear all I am also not presented with several minutes of chimes and tones (a fun Android default reality) when several hundred notifications accumulated during a four-hour DND meeting process. Whether it is that scale or just ten notifications, there is no reason to hear notification tones when clearing them out. It is also more than a bit rude and having to mute a phone to clear notifications (which I frequently need to do) is stupid.
I am not sure what your beef is about AOD. It shows time, date, and notifications be default. That is what I expect to see and all I choose to see on an Android AOD lock screen. What is the problem with having a dimmed lock screen image behind it? The only thing on your list not displayed by default is battery status.

ImCraigFuckingCulver OP t1_iyed4v2 wrote on November 30, 2022 at 7:44 PM

It's more than possible it's the cars fault, but on my 2020 Nissan and my wifes 2019 Honda, we have similar issues, including Spotify inexplicably playing through the phone speakers and not the car. I don't know how my car would force the phone to play audio through the phone speakers. Apart from some slow downs, I haven't had remotely the same amount of issues with Android Auto, so we'll have to agree to disagree on the user experience. The Carplay subreddit is similarly filled with posts about bug issues.

I honestly have no idea what you're referencing with the endless chimes when clearing notifications on Android? Is it specific to a certain phone? I generally keep most "sounds" on my phones off by default, and haven notifications set to vibrate, so it's possible it's simply something I never noticed. I also appreciate the depth of customization when it comes to things like sounds and notifications on Android that are simply not matched by Apple in the slightest. I understand this is more a preference thing, but Android in my opinion gives you a boat load more options than iOS for notifications in general.

My "beef" with AOD is as I stated. I don't need a dimmed version of my background on. It needlessly drains battery. A black screen with simple icons for notifications, time, etc is more than adequate. If Apple even gave the option to turn the background off to just a black screen with AOD I would have basically no issue using it, but thats not an option as of yet.

Stephen_NM2022 t1_iyeh6r2 wrote on November 30, 2022 at 8:09 PM

The fact is, again, I rent cars all the time and Carplay is the only option guaranteed to work. Like many others, it is the reason my iPhone became my primary line. In my experience, with very rare exceptions, when someone has an issue with Carplay, it can be resolved by resetting the head unit and/or updating the firmware. Some head units also do not like being set up for both AA and Carplay at the same time. Toyota dealers will be happy to point that one out. Granted, they will also be happy to point out the volume of AA complaints they cannot resolve because Google does not work with the manufacturers. Quite frankly, I would not be surprised if Toyota (and by extension, Subaru and Nissan) bail on Android Auto if Google does not step up.

As for notification, you were not using an Android phone. You were using Samsung's heavily layered version of Android (one of the reasons Samsung phones have constant AA problems). Stock Android default settings result in the phone chiming for every notification unless they have finally addressed in Android 13. If you clear dozens (or hundreds) of accumulated notifications after a long meeting, it will notify you for each and every one as they are cleared. That was part of Google's sloppy vision for its stock lock screen and notifications. Sound like fun?

You made a brief comment about AOD which was patently silly since it does exactly what you claimed it does not (sans battery status). In a long post, you might as well spell out the beef. Your comment, as presented, bordered on the nonsensical and amounted to having an issue with a dimmed display behind your own list of what you already see.

ImCraigFuckingCulver OP t1_iyf2hy6 wrote on November 30, 2022 at 10:30 PM

Congratulations on your flawless CarPlay experience. I’m happy for you. Thus far, my experience differs greatly from yours. I’m sorry that’s happening. Wish I could change it.

And holy semantics. I’ll have to let literally everyone know that Samsung doesn’t use Android for their phones. It’ll be a surprise to most I’m sure.

My android auto experience with my woefully inadequate Samsung S20 phone was again, less bug ridden in the same 2020 Nissan than carplay with my brand new iPhone. I have a hard time believing three major car manufacturers will drop support of Android auto on their new vehicles but it’s quite the theory. Especially considering several manufacturers now use a custom version of android auto for their default infotainment systems.

I’ve had pixel phones in the past. Nexus phones too. I’ve literally never ran into an issue with chimes and clearing notifications. I have two friends with Pixel 7 pros and they’ve made no mention of clearing chimes. Whatever the situation I have no doubt it can be disabled in settings like every other sound in the OS.

You seem to have taken my comment about always on displays extremely personally and my apologies for clearly offending your delicate sensibilities regarding the feature. I can only assume you’ve personally worked on the feature for apple at this point. I hope any future comments I make will not upset you so much. I’ve heard the same comment made about their implementation of always on displays by multiple reviewers, so I feel pretty safe in my critique.

My apologies for having such incorrect opinions. Good luck with your beeps and bloops.