Support for Android Auto is finally coming from Audiobooks.com. This means you can finally read more books…errr, hear more audiobooks while in the car that has Android Auto connectivity. The in-car dashboard platform is slowly getting a lot of support, being integrated and installed in more cars. The list of vehicles is getting longer but expect more to be added so you can have more choices of what new car to buy–that is, if you are planning to get one.
Audiobooks.com adding Android Auto support will allow more users to enhance their listening experience while in their cars. Other similar apps may soon be supported but it’s the first audiobooks application that you can access from your Android-powered digital infotainment system.
The goal of Audiobooks has always been to give more convenient ways to enjoy those numerous audiobooks available on their library. Personally, I cannot concentrate while there’s someone talking while I’m driving so I may not be able to maximize the app. However, I know many drivers who can listen intently and have finished a number of audiobooks already especially when they are in traffic so this is good news for them.
This development only means that the in-car platform will continue to receive more support from different companies and developers. There certainly is potential even if its direct rival, the Apple CarPlay, is also getting a strong support from the mobile community. We still have no figures because both Android Auto and CarPlay have just started to be installed in the latest vehicles but we’re hoping that by end of the year or at least in the first quarter of 2016, we’ll have an idea how many thousands or maybe millions of cars already have either of the two.
Connected cars will soon rule the streets anywhere in the world. That’s the prediction of GSMA and BI Intelligence that car-focused technology and software will bring in about $51 dollar annual revenue by 2018 and the more than 60 million cars will be connected within five years. These are mere predictions and estimates but I believe they’re very much possible to happen.
Audiobooks.com wants to be at forefront by offering the first Android Auto-powered audiobook experience. The company’s general manager, Ian Small, said this is a priority for them. He said, “We made integration with Android Auto a high priority because we wanted to give drivers the best audiobook experience that this new technology allows. Our goal is to revolutionize the in-car experience, and to make the 100+ hours a year Americans spend commuting to work and 38 hours a year stuck in traffic more enjoyable.”
Android Auto is still in its early stages but it’s expected to help more drivers with its interface that can show maps, play music, accept calls, and view messages. Some of the car brands that have already announced their support including Volkswagen, Hyundai, Honda, Buick, Ford, Cadillac, and Chevrolet among others.
SOURCE: Audiobooks.com
