Google Meet is now on CarPlay, and Android Auto isn't invited yet

Google just brought its video meeting app to your car’s dashboard, and if you’re an iPhone user with CarPlay, you can now join Google Meet calls hands-free while on the road. That’s pretty cool. There’s just one small, somewhat ironic catch: Android Auto users are still waiting for the same thing.

Google Meet lands on CarPlay with an audio-only experience

In a new announcement, Google confirmed that Google Meet is now officially available on Apple CarPlay. The rollout actually kicked off on March 23rd and should reach all users within two weeks.
The way it works is pretty straightforward. Once you connect your iPhone to a CarPlay-compatible vehicle, the Meet app shows up on your car’s display automatically. From there, you can see your upcoming meetings, join with a single tap, and participate in audio-only calls.There’s no video, and that’s by design. Your camera stays off, you won’t see anyone else’s feed, and the interface is stripped down to the bare essentials: a mute button and a leave button. If you need the full meeting experience, Google says park first and switch to your phone.

Android Auto users will have to keep waiting

Google Meet arrives on Apple’s CarPlay. | Images by Google

Here’s where it gets a little embarrassing for Google. The company confirmed that a version of Meet for Android Auto is coming “soon,” but offered zero timeline, no beta, and no further details.

Zoom has been available on CarPlay for a while now too, which means Google Meet was already playing catch-up on that front.

Why this matters for your commute

For the millions of people who rely on Google Meet for work, this is a genuinely useful addition. Commuters who bounce between appointments no longer have to fumble with their phone to hop on a call. The calendar integration is the real selling point here, pulling your upcoming meetings right onto the car’s screen.It also plays nicely with CarPlay’s broader evolution. Apple has been making CarPlay increasingly capable, and Google apps showing up there only strengthens the case for the platform.

Google keeps treating its own platform like an afterthought

Honestly, I don’t take meeting calls while driving and I don’t plan to start. But I can absolutely see the appeal for people who spend hours in the car every day.

What I can’t wrap my head around is the Android Auto situation. Google building for CarPlay first makes you wonder where Android Auto actually sits on Google’s priority list.

Android Auto already lags behind CarPlay in app variety, and moves like this only widen that gap. If you’re an Android user waiting for feature parity, this has to sting.The feature is available now for all Google Workspace customers, individual subscribers, and personal Google accounts on CarPlay. Android Auto users? You’ll just have to take Google’s word that “soon” actually means soon.

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