Google celebrates the 10th anniversary of Android Auto, Android TV, and Android Wear (now known as Wear OS) as all three operating systems were launched simultaneously in 2014.
According to Google, Android Auto originated from the popularity of turn-by-turn navigation features in Google Maps introduced in 2010. When people started using it in their cars, safety concerns arose, prompting Google to seek a safer alternative. After experimenting with various prototypes (watch video for more details), Android Auto was eventually born.
As for Android TV, it is considered an extension of the previously released Chromecast. Google found that users desired more features beyond simply casting content from their mobile devices to the TV screen. This led to the direct customization of Android to run on TVs, leveraging the vast array of Android apps for use on the television. A key challenge Google encountered was the limited processing power and memory of TVs compared to smartphones, requiring adjustments to optimize Android for better performance.
On the other hand, Android Wear faced similar resource limitations, but with even more limited space to display information on the smaller watch screen.
Google disclosed the following device statistics:
– Over 200 million cars support Android Auto
– More than 220 million Android TV devices
– No statistics provided for Wear OS devices, but user numbers are projected to grow by 40% in 2023
Source: Google
TLDR: Google commemorates the 10th anniversary of Android Auto, Android TV, and Wear OS, highlighting the evolution and successes of these operating systems over the past decade.
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