One driver explains why she prefers Android Auto over Apple CarPlay

A writer at How-To Geek says she has switched to Android Auto and does not plan to go back to Apple CarPlay. Sanya Shah, who uses a Samsung phone, says her husband is a die-hard CarPlay fan. Her case is not about looks. It is about small features she uses behind the wheel.

Talking to the car

Shah says Google's assistant, Gemini, understands natural speech. She does not have to remember exact command words. When traffic slows her down on the way to pick up her daughter, she asks Gemini to share her arrival time with her husband on WhatsApp. She also describes a movie scene to find a song and has it played on YouTube Music. She says Siri handles everyday tasks, but Gemini feels more natural for specific requests.

Setting things up once

On her Samsung phone, a driving routine starts when the phone connects to the car's Bluetooth. It opens her music app, so she does not dig through the phone before leaving. She already uses Samsung's Modes and Routines for other parts of her day. CarPlay can automate tasks through Apple's Shortcuts app, she notes, but she finds Samsung's tool more convenient.

Music and message control

Shah likes Poweramp, a music player that plays songs stored on the phone instead of streaming them. It also lets her adjust bass, treble and the equalizer. She says CarPlay has many third-party apps but no music player like it. Android Auto also works with apps for podcasts, messaging and navigation.

Her other pick is message control. Her WhatsApp is busy with family and work groups. Android Auto lets her mute one noisy conversation without silencing the rest. She says CarPlay has notification controls, including Driving Focus, but she prefers muting specific chats.

What to keep in mind

This is one driver's opinion, not a test of both systems. Several of her points depend on her Samsung phone and on apps she chose. She says CarPlay has strengths and that she understands why people enjoy it. Her main goal is a system that works the way she expects when she is running late.

• Gemini: natural speech, such as sharing an arrival time on WhatsApp
• Samsung routine: opens her music app when the phone joins the car Bluetooth
• Poweramp: plays music stored on the phone with sound controls
• Muting: silence a single chat, not every message