Android Auto

audioBoom Comes to Apple CarPlay, Android Auto

~ shawn

audioBoom logoaudioBoom, the spoken-word focused podcast creation and consumption app formerly known as audioBoo, now works with both Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto systems. This will allow audioBoom users to interact with the service using their car’s built-in controls, accessing the app thru a dashboard touch screen or buttons on the car’s steering wheel. This makes audioBoom one of the first podcasting apps to become fully integrated with the modern automobile.

And while audioBoom will obviously be able to browse and playback podcasts that are hosted with the service, it’s unclear as to whether the app’s car integration will also allow it to record new podcasts. This could be extremely useful for mobile podcasters who are already using the service and would like to be able to create new content while being (mostly) hands free.

audioBoom also made podcasting news this week by announcing it had set a new record for new user signups, adding more than 200,000 new users during the month of March. This growth is attributed to audioBoom’s partnership with different content partners, including the BBC and multiple professional sports franchises. In addition, audioBoom recently launched a podcast hosted by celebrity actor/comedian Russell Brand. That show’s success has also brought new users to the audioBoom platform.

Apple CarPlay Puts Podcasts Up Front

~ shawn ~ 1 Comment

CarPlayTech website macmixing got the opportunity to do a hands-on comparison between Google’s Android Auto and Apple’s CarPlay during the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. Android Auto and CarPlay are the two leading “connected car” technologies that promise to bring the functionality of smartphones to automobile dashboards. Many in the podcasting community believe that the connected car will be the next big growth area for the medium, as it’ll make it more convenient for commuters to consume podcasts while driving.

macmixing produced a video that demonstrates the functionality of both Android Auto and CarPlay:

Both systems support podcasting apps. But because Android has no native podcast support, Android Auto users will have to navigate to a page that contains third-party apps. With CarPlay, Apple’s native Podcasts app appears on screen as soon as CarPlay is selected on the in-dash touchscreen.

This is the first demonstration I’ve seen of these competing technologies and they both look promising for making it easier than ever to listen to podcasts on the road. But once again, Apple has put support for podcasts front and center, while Google still relinquishes podcasting support to third-party developers.

Rob Walch of podcast411 and LibSyn has said many times that, if you’re a podcaster, Google is not your friend. And when it comes to the connected car, that statement is proven correct once more.