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You might hop into your car to escape work, but now you can act like you’re productive while on the road. Google Meet calls are now available through Apple CarPlay on iPhones connected to supporting vehicles.
The updated app lets you participate in audio-only calls. Video is disabled (including the iPhone’s cameras) to “maintain focus on driving,” Google says. You can also check your scheduled meetings to make sure you join a can’t-miss session.
You won’t have any CarPlay-specific features. However, Google sees this as helpful for holding meetings during commutes or staying in touch between in-person appointments. Of course, that also means you can leave work early without completely shirking your duties — you can listen to an afternoon meeting on the way home instead of staying at your desk.
When will Google Meet be available for Android Auto?
Notably, Google is delivering Meet for CarPlay, but not its own Android Auto platform. A version for Android’s in-car experience is coming “soon,” Google says.
The iPhone-only support leaves Google with a longstanding disadvantage, if not for much longer. WebEx and Zoom audio calls came to Android Auto in September 2023, while Microsoft Teams arrived in February 2024. Microsoft Teams enabled CarPlay support in September 2021. WebEx offered CarPlay meetings in June 2022, and Zoom provided similar audio calls back in May 2018. In other words, you still need to use a third-party service (or use your device as a speakerphone) to hold in-car meetings on your Android phone.
The promise of an impending Android Auto update shows that Google is closing the gap. And while driving support isn’t a must-have, it theoretically provides one more incentive for companies to adopt Google Workspace instead of relying on alternatives like Microsoft 365 and Zoom Workplace. You won’t have to switch devices or apps just to keep in touch with your colleagues.
I tried using a CarPlay wireless adapter—here’s 3 reasons I went back to a wired connection
I really want to use wireless CarPlay, but my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica doesn’t offer that—it only has wired CarPlay. Over the years, I’ve tried multiple wireless CarPlay adapters, and I always go back to a wired connection at the end of the day.
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