Android
Google faces EU scrutiny over Android Auto app design and testing Play Store navigation update
Key Points:
- Android Auto Restrictions: Google’s app design limits may violate EU competition laws.
- JuicePass Issue: An EV charging app was blocked due to non-compliance with templates, leading to legal action.
- Play Store Update: Google tests a disappearing navigation bar feature for better user experience.
For many years, Android Auto apps followed strict design templates, limiting their flexibility. Recently, updates have introduced more freedom, but these design restrictions have put Google under regulatory scrutiny, especially in Europe.
According to Reuters, Google’s app design limitations for Android Auto have attracted the attention of the European Union (EU). The concern is that these restrictions might breach EU competition laws. This case originates from Italy, where a legal issue arose over an app called JuicePass, a tool used for electric vehicle (EV) charging. JuicePass was blocked from Android Auto because it didn’t fit Google’s predefined templates.
Initially, Google claimed JuicePass couldn’t be integrated due to its app templates. However, in 2021, Italy fined Google for allegedly prioritizing its own navigation apps like Maps and Waze over third-party applications like JuicePass.
Recently, EU Court Advocate General Laila Medina stated that Google’s practices “may violate competition rules.” However, it’s unclear if this opinion considers Google’s gradual relaxation of its template restrictions. In recent years, Google has allowed new app categories, such as navigation apps, to launch on Android Auto. Despite this, JuicePass remains unavailable on the platform, with Google previously citing security concerns as the reason.
In response to the case, Google commented that they have addressed the issues raised by JuicePass’s developers and many similar apps are now available on Android Auto worldwide. The company is awaiting the final decision from the EU court.
Meanwhile, Google is also testing a small but useful tweak for the Play Store. In a recent update, the navigation bar has become more dynamic. Previously, Google made the navigation bar visible on all screens, including app listings and developer pages. Now, the company is experimenting with a feature where the navigation bar disappears as users scroll down but reappears when they scroll back up.
This feature, already seen in the Gmail app, improves screen space and makes browsing more fluid. Although this change hasn’t rolled out in the current Play Store version, it seems ready for release soon.
Once this feature becomes available, users can expect smoother navigation across the Play Store.