For a very long time Android Auto apps have all appeared nearly the identical, solely seeing any substantial updates and modifications because of latest updates. However, for these years of restriction, Google is catching a little bit of regulatory strain.
Within the EU, as Reuters reviews, Google’s restrictions with Android Auto app templates have raised concern that these restrictions could breach EU competitors legal guidelines. The case in query stems from courts in Italy, the place the app JuicePass (an EV charging app) was beforehand blocked on Android Auto because it didn’t match into Google’s app templates.
JuicePass, Google stated, didn’t work in present Android Auto templates when it first tried to launch on Android Auto. In 2021, Google was hit with a high quality in Italy over the denial of JuicePass largely as a result of Google was, in flip, favoring its personal navigation apps, Maps and Waze.
As of this week, EU Court docket Advocate Normal Laila Medina stated that this “could also be in breach of competitors guidelines.” It’s not clear, although, if this takes into consideration that Google has loosened these restrictions over time.
Even previous to the earlier high quality in 2021, Google had opened the doorways to new forms of Android Auto apps, together with navigation apps. This could technically permit JuicePass to launch on the platform, however it nonetheless has not. Google additionally initially cited safety considerations as a cause the app had not launched.
Google, in an announcement, stated:
We notice the opinion of the Advocate Normal and await the ultimate choice of the Court docket. Since this case began, we’ve got labored so as to add the template Enel requested for, and lots of comparable apps are already out there globally on Android Auto
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