C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The Android Auto model 13.4 is now rolling out a revamped media player user interface, bringing a fresh look and new features to the in-car entertainment experience.
- The new update introduces scaled-down album artwork, streamlined button layouts, and a repositioned progress bar to enhance user experience.
- A fresh new font completes the revitalization of the modernized interface, imbuing it with a refined and sophisticated aesthetic.
Customers are poised to experience a substantial paradigm shift in their in-car audio capabilities. Google has started deploying a revamped media player as part of the Android Auto 13.4 update, representing another significant interface overhaul for the platform since its major redesign last year. Notified first by many, Android Auto users are starting to experience the fresh redesign, effective immediately.
On initial glance, a notable change in the modern player’s design is the downsized album artwork now situated on the left-hand side. In the original design, the media playback progress bar was situated underneath the album artwork. Now, the CD is perfectly aligned with the album’s cover art, situated precisely on its intended side.
The screen capture suggests a slight reduction in text size and the player’s buttons now occupy the full width of the display. The replacement also introduces a fresh, new font. While the new design does present a cleaner appearance, its simplicity may also result in an excessive amount of vacant space.
While the screenshot shows Spotify’s media player interface, it’s reasonable to assume similar UI updates could be applied to other popular music streaming services like YouTube Music and Apple Music, given their shared design similarities.
Additionally, it’s plausible that this redesign could be a precursor to Google’s anticipated “Automotive Media” feature, which would enable Android Auto to seamlessly integrate with native in-car media capabilities, including radio stations. For the time being, pay attention to the fresh design if you’re currently using Android Auto 13.4.
