Interesting. I went to turn off auto update and noticed I have two RP apps on my phone. They are distinct and operate differently. This probably explains why trying to launch it by voice in android auto hasn't been working. Good news is that both seem to work okay here.

From First to Worst

I've tried and tried and tried to get the new RP app (Android, running on stock Android (Google Pixel)) to function properly. And each time, I'm disappointed. I've given up and deleted the app.

The old app, while quirky, worked. It's an 8/10. It did one thing well: Played music. Whether the live Main Mix stream or cached content (a godsend on long flights), it just worked. 

I've fought with the new app since it was automatically updated on my Pixel. I've now set my phone to not automatically update any apps.

Since the update, I've struggled to listen to music. It'll play for a while and then stop. An RP ID will roll, and it'll stop. The cache function operates the same way. A few minutes of music and then it stops. And then I have to force quit the app, clear the cache and storage, and try again. Same result. I've been reinstalling daily. And I get the same result. I'm done. 

Streaming to a smart speaker is also problematic. And it's definitely not my internet (I've checked — other streams and apps work as intended). The only way I've found to listen to RP uninterrupted is via a web browser. This is not always a good solution. For example: No hours-long caching. 

I understand RP wanting to upgrade an old app. But this is more of a downgrade. I'd give it a 0/10. 

Fingers crossed that these major issues are fixed with a future release. For now, I'll be on the sidelines. 

Thanks for all the great music over the years. I'll keep listening, but only when I can simply click and play. 

Cheers!