Google Meet rolls out to Android Auto with a ridiculous restriction

In the beginning of April, Google introduced and launched Google Meet for CarPlay, making it simpler and safer for customers to hitch conferences and calls whereas behind the wheel. Now, that very same expertise is rolling out to Android Auto — albeit with a baffling limitation: it does not assist work accounts.

The beginning of Google Meet’s Android Auto rollout was first noticed by the oldsters at Android Authority, when one in all their crew members acquired a pop-up within the app that learn, “Meet is now out there on Android Auto,” which linked to a support document with detailed info on the way it works.

The Android Auto model of Google Meet works just about the identical because the CarPlay model. You possibly can view all of your scheduled conferences proper out of your automotive’s dashboard, and when you choose one, you possibly can bounce in by tapping be part of.

When you be part of a name, it skips the same old pre-call display screen and drops you straight into the assembly together with your video turned off. Google says your microphone could or might not be routinely muted as effectively, relying on how giant the assembly is.

For security causes, your in-meeting controls are very restricted — you possibly can mute your microphone or depart the decision, and that is about it. Different options, like chat or polls, aren’t out there except you safely park and change to your telephone.

The baffling limitation

No work account assist appears to defeat the aim

Whereas the Android Auto model of Google Meet sounds precisely like what you’d count on — particularly given the required security restrictions — there’s one obtrusive limitation that has nothing to do with security, which I discussed earlier: it does not assist work accounts. Baffling, proper?

This is what Google has to say about it:

“Work profile accounts aren’t supported in Meet on Android Auto. Lively calls will nonetheless seem in your show however upcoming conferences and name historical past won’t present.”

So, in case you be part of a gathering in your telephone utilizing your work Google account, you possibly can nonetheless view it in your automotive’s dashboard, however you possibly can’t view or be part of any work conferences by Android Auto.

I do know a handful of people that use private Google accounts for conferences, so in that sense, it is nonetheless helpful. However the overwhelming majority depend on Google Meet by their work accounts as a result of they must. For private calls, they’re much more doubtless to make use of apps like WhatsApp or Discord. That’s why the shortage of labor account assist on Android Auto appears like a serious oversight to me, and it is unclear whether or not Google plans to handle it.

Moreover, what makes it even stranger is that, on the CarPlay facet, Google says Meet is “out there to all Google Workspace prospects, Workspace Particular person subscribers, and customers with private Google accounts.” So once more, it is baffling that the Android Auto model does not supply the identical assist.

All in all, in case you’re consistently on the go and juggling conferences, having Google Meet on each CarPlay and Android Auto is little question helpful. However limiting the Android Auto model of Meet to non-public accounts solely is an actual head-scratcher and, in my opinion, form of undermines its complete level.