Yes, the android car stereo can be a great replacement or upgrade to an existing factory installed car stereo.
Yes. The android car stereo is the same as an android head unit. They both run the android OS which means you don’t need to mirror your phone.
No, the android car stereo can be similar to stock or worse but never described as high end sound.
Some android car stereos are capable of split screen, while other are not. Confirm the option with the vendor before purchase.
Yes. All android car stereos have GPS and are good for Sat Nav use.
The android based car stereo is a relatively recent idea for in car entertainment.
Bringing together the touch screen of a phone, the android operating system and a sound system suitable for a car brings us the android car stereo. These devices are also called an Android Head Unit or they are called by the version of the android they are running, for example an android 10 head unit.
The android operating system was designed for phone but has found its way into televisions, tablets, game consoles and car head units.
Screen size
The screen size of an Android Car Stereo is typically no smaller than the size of a double DIN stereo. While there in no limit to the maximum size other than the constraints of the vehicle it has been fitted into.
Connectivity
An android car stereo will connect to the car speakers to deliver the sounds, but also it can connect to the car communication BUS. This gives a much greater level of integration into the car computer system where the android car stereo can talk to the car computer. This is useful to display car information on the android screen or change car settings, like the A/C from the android car stereo screen.
Android Apps
The android operating system found in the android car stereo is very similar to the one found in your android phone. They use the same apps from the same play store, so your android car stereo can use the same apps as your phone. There are a few extra apps that are really only suited to the android car stereo and these are called car launchers. But from candy crush to gmail, you can run these on your android powered car head unit – the android car stereo.
Extra features
Being wired in permanently to the vehicle the android car stereo can include an extra cool feature that you just don’t find in a phone or tablet. This is the ‘Back-up Camera’ or reversing camera. The android car stereo screen is used to display a picture from a discretely positioned, tiny camera fitted to the rear of the car. With the extra communication or permanent wiring just selecting reverse gear will switch the android screen to the backing up camera display. This big safety feature is a key reason to upgrade to an android car stereo.
GPS SatNav
As with your phone and tablet that has an app for sat nav and GPS directions, the android car stereo is exactly the same. Every android car stereo has a GPS device installed and it just need the app to turn this feature into a fully functioning sat nav. You can use the same app as your phone, be it waze, google maps, tomtom go, sygic or any of the other mapping system, they will function the same on your android car stereo.
Streaming
Another key feature of the android car stereo is to provide sounds for your journey. The android car stereo can function just like a car stereo with bluetooth from a phone, USB from a thumbdrive. But the best way to get the most from an android car stereo is to install a music streaming app. Use amazon music, deezer, google music or spotify, or any streaming app you choose. As long as you have access to data, you can stream. While not advised to be used while driving and in some situations it is prohibited to use youtube to view videos on the android car stereo screen. The same youtube app that is on your phone can run on the android car stereo, just with a bigger screen.
FM DAB+
Both FM radio and DAB+ digital radio can be made available to the android car stereo. FM is built in to the headunit while DAB+ is just an add-on USB device. You can listen to the radio on your android car stereo, be it FM or DAB, there is an app for that.
More++
With the USB connectivity of the android car stereos, built in GPS and FM radio, access to a ton of apps on the play store and connection to the car speakers makes the android car stereo a great addition to your in car entertainment.
