There's a new minimum Android version you'll need for Android Auto, so check it now

Some people hold on to their phones for many years, and it's not about money. Some older phones are simply superior. Maybe you need a physically smaller phone (and today's handsets are huge by 2015 standards).

So it's not just about sticking with your older phone from a financial perspective. Yes, phone prices have been going up for months and years now, but there are plenty of great budget-friendly handsets to pick up.

However, Google might soon do something that will inevitably affect (negatively) owners of older Android phones. The Big G might cut off older smartphones from Android Auto.

Rocking an older Android?

Per the latest reports, Android 10 might be dropped from supporting Android Auto. This means that only phones with Android 11 installed will have access to Android Auto, one of Google's most popular and widely used features.

Some Android 10 users have already started getting the message alert, notifying them that "Phone will no longer be supported". The warning states that Android Auto will "soon stop working" if the phone isn't updated to Android 11.

Can I get Android 11?

Of course, older phones that run Android 10 can't magically get Android 11; it's a matter of hardware limitations. Each major update has to be adapted and tested for the phone's specific chipset, drivers, modem, camera hardware and other components.

Chipset makers (like Qualcomm or MediaTek) also need to provide software support… and that can't last forever. On top of that, manufacturers have to integrate the new Android release with their own software and put it through testing and certification. Eventually, the hardware or software stack becomes too old to justify that work, so the phone reaches its final supported Android version.

Which phones are affected?

Among the popular phones that top out at Android 10 are hit models like Samsung's Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus, the Galaxy Note 9, the OnePlus 6, Google's Pixel 2 and the Moto G7 series.

Also, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact users are getting notified that Android Auto will soon become inaccessible on their phones.

Who uses such old phones?

As I said above, there are reasons that one would stick with an older phone beyond the "new phones are expensive" argument.

"I have a Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact running Android version 10", a Reddit user by the nickname of "No_One_of_Consequenc" says. "I've had the phone since 2019 and not only does it fill all of my phone needs, it's a great size that I can use one-handed. Especially key in this is width. I have small hands, and the 65mm width allows my thumb to traverse the screen, which would be difficult or impossible in larger phones", they say.

Try that with a 6.8-inch mid-ranger from 2026. No way, Jose!

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