For the longest time, I’ve been using Android Auto in an entirely wireless capacity. The convenience factor alone was enough to sway me in a wireless direction right from the beginning, and I’ve been living a cable-free lifestyle ever since.
At least, that has been the case up until recently.
After one too many wireless connection mishaps, I finally decided to experiment with wired Android Auto a couple of weeks back. To my surprise, the acclimation period was incredibly short, and I actually found myself preferring the wired implementation of the feature in no time flat.
Here are three overarching factors that played a role in my adoption of wired Android Auto. Looking forward, I plan on continuing to use a USB-C cable — that is, until Google makes meaningful improvements to the wireless variant of the feature.
- Developer
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Google
- Subscription cost
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No
Android Auto is a platform that works with Android smartphones. It integrates into your car’s infotainment system to display compatible software applications on your screen.
Connectivity
Wired Android Auto offers better connection stability
Simply put, a cable is more reliable than a wireless-based setup. Using a USB cord ensures that a stable, persistent connection is made between the Android phone in question and the vehicle’s head unit, which significantly reduces the chances of something going awry.
In my own experience with wireless Android Auto, it’s not uncommon for the signal to temporarily drop or cut out, which can be particularly annoying during important phone calls and the like. Once I switched over to a wired connection, everything became more stable, reliable, and rock-solid on the whole.
Longevity
Battery drain is less of a concern with wired Android Auto
Wireless Android Auto relies on a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct, which together can take a toll on your phone’s battery life. Plus, especially in the summer months, the system tends to generate extra heat, which can damage the long-term health and capacity of your battery pack.
Switching to wired Android Auto has kept my phone relatively cooler (even while simultaneously charging), all while ensuring my battery life doesn’t deplete nearly as quickly. In fact, with a USB-C cable in tow, you can run Android Auto while topping up at the same time, which is the best of both worlds if you ask me.
Fidelity
Wired Android Auto is best for audio playback quality
If you’re using wireless Android Auto to listen to tunes in your car, you’re giving up on some sound quality in the process. This is because the Bluetooth signal is compressing data on the fly, resulting in less overall sonic fidelity. For podcasts and phone calls, this may not matter so much, but for soundtracks with rich instrumentation, it can make a real, demonstrable difference.
I’m far from an audiophile, but I do appreciate the ability to optimize my audio quality and to best take advantage of my vehicle’s built-in stereo setup. With this in mind, switching to wired Android Auto has been a big upside for me — not to mention that it brings back nostalgic memories of the glory days of the AUX cord.
