Google Maps can now download maps

[john_g]

Just thought I'd flag up that the latest release of Google Maps (v5.7) now allows users to download maps! It seems a fairly major upgrade as it also allows the planning of journeys using public transport.

To download what Google call an 'area', do a long press at the centre of the area you want to download and then wait for the address to load. Then tap on the address bubble - this will take you to a screen that now includes an extra option "Download map area". Pressing this will download an area of ten miles by ten miles to your phone. You can download multiple area... they can be seen under Menu -> More -> Cache settings -> Downloaded map areas.

http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/

 

[D-U-R-X]

Just thought I'd flag up that the latest release of Google Maps (v5.7) now allows users to download maps! It seems a fairly major upgrade as it also allows the planning of journeys using public transport.

To download what Google call an 'area', do a long press at the centre of the area you want to download and then wait for the address to load. Then tap on the address bubble - this will take you to a screen that now includes an extra option "Download map area". Pressing this will download an area of ten miles by ten miles to your phone. You can download multiple area... they can be seen under Menu -> More -> Cache settings -> Downloaded map areas.

Official Google Mobile Blog

That sounds pretty good actually... the way I read this means that I can download the maps and then use them with the GPS, without having to use my data connection - is that correct?!

 

[Xyro]

Yup.

Google maps had already done this for a while, but it would try to guess which maps to cache rather than you telling it.

 

[D-U-R-X]

That's pretty sweet!!

 

[john_g]

I forgot about a key step... you have to enable this by going to Menu -> More -> Labs.

Another 'Labs' feature I'd recommend is the scale bar - very useful and it just unobtrusively overlays the map in the bottom left-hand corner.

 

[andyben]

Living on an island 9miles x 5miles this is pretty good news...

 

[dvhttn]

Living on an island 9miles x 5miles this is pretty good news...

That's lucky then, as the 'maps download' only covers 10 mile radius .... and nav. doesn't work offline still.

Dave

 

[andyben]

I paid for a premium navigation license whilst in Florida recently which worked great with no mobile or data connection, just GPS.

 

[CdTDroiD]

Doesnt bring the download option for me... on 5.7 also

Never mind i had to enable it under "Labs"

 

[.ParanoidAndroid.]

Hooray!

This is something I could always do with my Nokia N95 many moons ago, and I've desperately been waiting for this feature ever since.

Exceptionally useful for when you're going abroad. Save an area you'll be in (for example, when I was in Barcelona a couple of months ago) and you're fine. Whereas when I was actually there, it meant returning to this place we found with free wi-fi whenever we needed to check a map (since 3g is extortionate abroad)

 

[losl]

My google maps is 5.6.2 (#5670), how could i update to 5.7? "No update available" when using "check now" in software update page.

Thank you !

 

[john_g]

My google maps is 5.6.2 (#5670), how could i update to 5.7? "No update available" when using "check now" in software update page.

Thank you !

Either by following the link I gave in my first post at the top of this thread, or you should be able to get in from the Android Market:
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps&feature=top-free

 

[Power Crazy]

Not mine you can't.
Download does not appear as an option in Labs. I just get the two.
I'm on maps 5.8 now as well.

 

[john_g]

Not mine you can't.
Download does not appear as an option in Labs. I just get the two.
I'm on maps 5.8 now as well.

When I look in Labs I see four things listed:
Scale Bar
Measure
Precache Map Area
Bigger Text

Clearly it's the third one that downloads map areas. I too am on v5.8 and, just in case it turns out that these features are territory-dependant, I'm in the UK.

 

[Joelzinho]

Amazing. This would have been so useful for my trip in Europe last month! Oh well there is always next time!

 

[Casey_Chaos]

Thanks, I use maps in my local area (about the 10 mile radius it saves) and this is very useful. Just testing it now is much quicker and smoother as well as saving me using my data.