Google Meet comes to Apple CarPlay for the first time
Teams, Telegram, or WhatsApp have been available for iPhone vehicle integration for some time. Now Google is following suit with its conference app.
Google Meet in CarPlay: Practical on the go.
(Image: Google)
Apple's CarPlay, which allows iPhone apps to be brought into the car, is once again receiving a software boost. After Apple first allowed chatbot apps with voice control, making a CarPlay version of ChatGPT available, another popular tool is now coming to the car entertainment system. As Google announced on its Workspace blog here, the conferencing solution Google Meet can be used directly in CarPlay for the first time in the just-released version 353.0.
Pure participation as audio
As usual, the version is stripped down: You cannot see video, nor can you participate via the iPhone camera; you can only follow chats and conferences by voice. In addition, there is an overview of planned Google Meet meetings that you can join directly, as well as a handover function from the iPhone. This means: If a conference is already running on the mobile device, you just need to get into the car to continue it there via CarPlay.
Google emphasizes that video content is automatically deactivated when using CarPlay, and the camera is also turned off. Participants can listen to meetings and participate via microphone, Google writes. All of this is to ensure that the user can continue to concentrate on driving. Apple enforces such an implementation through its developer conditions. For example, video apps have been completely forbidden so far. However, the manufacturer is currently working on allowing them at least when parked. However, the vehicle must support AirPlay for video.
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CarPlay before Android Auto
What is interesting about Google's approach is that Meet for CarPlay is appearing even before the version for Android Auto. The latter is expected to be available for users "soon," the company writes. The use of Google Meet in the car is available to all Workplace users, regardless of whether they have a single or multi-seat license; in addition, any Google user with a Google account can use Meet in CarPlay.
The app is unlocked for the car by default as soon as the appropriate version is on the iPhone. Users should find it on the home screen immediately. If necessary, you may need to scroll back a few pages and drag the icon forward if you want to use Meet more frequently.
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