With Google Maps for mobile 5.0 on Android-powered devices, we’re excited to share the biggest change yet to the technology that powers Google Maps: dynamic map drawing, with 3D interaction and offline reliability.
Google Maps for Android
DYNAMIC MAP DRAWING
Before: Maps downloaded the map as sets of small, square images.
Today: Maps uses vector graphics to dynamically draw the map on your device.
We estimate that viewing maps now requires almost 70% less mobile network data overall than before.
3D INTERACTIONS
Dynamic map drawing enables:
Tilt: Drag down with two fingers to tilt the map. Tilt while zoomed in on one of the 100+ cities around the world with 3D buildings to see a skyline spring to life.
Rotate: Twist with two fingers to rotate the map. After tilting to see 3D buildings, rotate around them to gain a new perspective from any direction.
Zoomsmoothly: Slide two fingers together or apart, and see the map and labels continuously scale to any zoom level, stopping when your fingers stop.
Compassmode: Center the map on your location, and then tap the compass button in the top right corner. The map will flip into 3D mode and start rotating to match your perspective, while still keeping all the labels upright and readable.
Google Maps dynamically draws maps, 3D buildings, roads, and labels so they all stay sharp and move with you as you zoom, tilt, rotate, or walk.
OFFLINE RELIABILITY
Google Maps has always been, and continues to be, a fundamentally Internet-connected experience, meaning you always get the freshest map and place data, search and Voice Search*, live traffic conditions, satellite and Street View imagery, and much more. Still, mobile Internet connections aren’t 100% reliable so Maps 5.0 also includes:
Offline reliability. Maps will proactively cache (or store) your most-used maps on your device. It now requires 100 times less data to view maps across all zoom levels, so we can store large areas for the places you’re using Maps the most. This means:
Maps will load much faster when you have a network connection.
Maps will work better when you have a poor, or no, network connection, such as in the subway.
Offline Navigation rerouting.
Maps is using offline data to reroute you in Google Maps Navigation* (Beta).
We’ve always stored your route on the device, but now we’ll reroute you even after you’ve lost your connection once you start a trip.
We estimate that over 90% of the time rerouting currently fails, it will now succeed.
This feature will be rolling out to more users over the next few weeks.
SUPPORTED DEVICES
Android 1.6+ devices can install Maps 5.0, but dynamic map drawing, 3D interactions, and offline features require Android 2.0+, and some features may not besupported for all devices.
*Note: Some features such as Voice Search and Navigation are not available in all countries.
