Introducing a new Google Maps app for Android smartphones
and tablets, also coming soon to iPhone and iPad. It’s a new mapping
experience that makes exploring the world and getting to the places that
matter to you a lot faster and easier. The app is gradually rolling out
globally in
Google Play and will be available soon in the
App Store.
The new Google Maps for mobile builds on the design we released for
iPhone last December and improves on it with a few useful search and
navigation features. And it's the first dedicated app for Android
tablets and iPads. We’re also retiring Latitude and are making some
changes to offline and My Maps which we’ll explain in more detail below.
First, here are a few highlights that make this release stand out:
Explore: Explore is a fast and easy way to visually browse and
discover new places without even typing. Simply tap the search box and
you’ll see cards showing great places to eat, drink, sleep and shop.
Enhanced navigation: In addition to current traffic conditions,
we’ve added two new features to help you navigate around traffic. You
can now see reports of problems on the road that you can tap to see
incident details. While on the road, Google Maps will also alert you if a
better route becomes available and reroute you to your destination
faster. This feature is available only on Android and is coming soon to
iOS.
Designed for tablets: A dedicated tablet design brings all the
features of this new app to Android tablets and iPads, which makes
exploring the world from the comfort of your living room much more
fluid, smooth and fun.
Reviews, Zagat and Offers: There’s a new 5.0 star rating system
that gives you a quick read on how your friends and others rate places
like restaurants, bars and cafes. For an expert’s opinion, the Zagat
badge of excellence and curated lists are integrated into search results
so you can quickly spot the very best places. From “Best Restaurants to
meet for a drink in NYC” to “Best Restaurants in the Mission” in San
Francisco, Zagat’s there to help you uncover the local gems.
And finally, Google Maps for mobile is a great way to
discover valuable Offers
from national brands like Macy's, Michael's and Toys "R" Us, labeled
right on the map. All these features can make it a lot easier to
navigate the world, no matter what adventure comes your way.
One important change you should know about is that Latitude and
check-ins will be retired. These features will no longer be a part of
the new Google Maps app, and will stop functioning in older versions by
August 9. We understand some of you still want to see your friends and
family on a map, which is why
we've added
location sharing and check-ins to Google+ for Android (coming soon to
iOS). More details about Latitude and check-in changes can be found in
our
help center.
The offline maps feature for Android is also no longer available.
Instead we’ve created a new way for you to access maps offline by simply
entering “OK Maps” into the search box when viewing the area you want
for later. Finally, My Maps functionality is not supported in this
release but will return to future versions of the app. People who want
to create powerful custom maps can still do so with
Maps Engine Lite on desktop.
Helping you find great places is what we love to do. And as more of us
use mobile phones and tablets in our daily lives, information that’s
useful to you isn't just about
what you need, but also
where
you might find it. Today’s update is an exciting step forward for
Google’s maps—one that we hope will make it faster and easier for you to
explore and discover places you want to go.
Update July 16: The new Google Maps app for iPhone and iPad is now live. Visit the
App Store today to download it.
Posted by Daniel Graf, Director, Google Maps
*The new Google Maps for mobile is compatible with Ice Cream Sandwich
and Jelly Bean Android devices and iOS 6+ when available. Please note
some of the features mentioned in this post aren’t available in all
countries.
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