Get ready for Android Auto weather apps

Google limits the types of apps developers can distribute for security reasons Android Auto and Android Automotive, both designed specifically for vehicles. Instead of individual approvals, Google created a set of categories that apps must fall into in order to be supported. As of this month, weather apps have been added to that list, opening the door for new apps to view weather information relevant to your current location or route.

Android Auto App Can be one of the following categories: Media (Audio), Messaging, Navigation, Points of Interest (POI), and Internet of Things (IoT). These apps can be used while driving or parking. Android Automotive supports the same categories, but without messaging, and adds support for video, games, and browsers, which are only available when the vehicle is parked.

exist Google input/output Earlier this year, Google announced it would launch Messaging and VoIP apps for cars running Android Automotive. It also revealed that the Movies, Games, and Browser categories will be expanded to Android Auto, and a new Weather category will soon be open to developers in beta. Google didn’t specify when these categories would be welcomed, but earlier this week I noticed that the company updated the list of supported app categories for Android Auto and Android Automotive to include the new weather options.

Here is the list of app categories supported by Android Auto and Android Automotive so far:

General application categories

Parked application categories

Google wants the Weather app to help you see weather information relevant to your current location or the route you’re taking. Weather apps can optionally provide navigation features to help you get from point A to point B. Google Play Storethis category is currently in beta, limiting distribution to internal, closed, and open test tracks. Developers will be able to distribute weather apps “later” via the production (i.e. open to anyone) track.

Developers creating weather applications for Android Auto and Android Automotive are encouraged to use the Android for Cars application library, which provides useful templates. These apps must comply with Google’s automotive app quality guidelines, including specific requirements for the weather category. For example, weather information on map tiles must use a simple legend (no more than three), forecast information must use easy-to-read icons and symbols, templates cannot be used to customize forecast intervals, and each map can display up to five The only weather map annotation.

Although the official weather category is currently only in beta, some weather apps are already available on the Google Play store for Android Auto and Android Automotive. A weather app called “Weather & Radar” has been launched since early last year, while another weather app called “MyRadar Weather Radar” was launched earlier this year. Both apps are currently available for download, but if you prefer other options, you’ll need to wait for more apps to be released under the new weather category.