Android Auto could soon take dual-SIM phones more seriously

Android Auto is about to get a significant design makeover, based on evidence spotted in the version 18.0 beta. But that’s not the extent of the changes lurking beneath the latest beta release. We’ve also found development on a couple of other inclusions, including one that could excite dual-SIM phone owners.

In its current form, Android Auto shows only one cellular status bar icon, even on a dual-SIM smartphone. But code within the latest beta release suggests that could change soon.

Although we couldn’t get it to work at this early stage, its mention in the code suggests it’s certainly under consideration. That said, given Android Auto’s history of taking its sweet time in rolling out basic features, we’re not holding our breath.

Speaking of which, Android Auto v18.0 also includes additional references to the system-wide light/dark theme option. “Coolwalk” here is the internal codename for Android Auto’s 2023 design update. It’s been a long wait for these basic theming options, but it looks like Google just needs to flip the switch.

Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of user-facing changes present in this particular beta of Android Auto. Still, it’s encouraging to see progress on a couple of features, even though we can’t tell how long we’ll have to wait for their implementation.

Among the other discoveries of Android Auto version 18.0 is “Cielo,” the likely codename for the platform’s upcoming design overhaul for your car’s dashboard. The beta also references some Gemini personalization features that we spotted in an APK teardown earlier last month.