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Google Maps is finally making glanceable directions widely available
The changes are rolling out across devices and regions
Google developers have invested significant efforts in improving the navigation experience in Maps throughout 2023, as we witnessed with the journey behind creating Immersive View. Efforts like this make Maps one of our favorite navigation apps on Android, but along the way, it also announced features like glanceable directions, which we haven’t seen on our devices yet. That is changing now, because Google Maps is becoming a lot more useful on your lock screen.
Santa is back to guide your sleigh on Waze this holiday season
Or get this sassy gingerbread man to navigate if you're feeling spicy
If you use Waze to navigate, you might already be familiar with some of the celebrities Google has brought on board to voice directions. From Hasan Minhaj to Roger Federer, it seems like the tech giant knows how to pull strings when it needs some star power. Now, it’s made another call to Santa for the holiday season, and he’s bringing along a friend.
Google Maps for Android Auto is getting an updated look and feel
The tweaks create a more sleek, modern Maps appearance on Android Auto
If you rely on Android Auto in your vehicle while driving, you might also use Google Maps for hassle-free navigation. That being said, the app and its layout haven’t always been easy to leverage on the go. Google has revamped elements to address some of the app’s most pressing issues in recent months, and its work seems to be ongoing. Now, updates rolling out via the Play Store indicate that another redesign is coming to Maps for Android Auto.
Android Auto offers an intuitive and familiar interface to make almost any car smarter without spending a fortune. It's even compatible with most Android devices, including our favorite budget phones. It saves you the trouble of buying extra hardware to enjoy a modern and connected in-car experience.
While the Play Store has superb video calling apps for connecting people, mobile devices are also perfect for personal navigation for those rare connections in person that take some quality GPS navigation to sort out. Travelers have benefited from portable devices that provide directions through an assortment of the best apps for years, so we assembled a roundup of the best map and navigation applications on the Play Store, all so you can travel with ease. So if you're looking to take control of your traveling habits with your favorite Android phone, you've come to the right place.
Google Maps bug won't let you navigate in anything but English
You're not alone if you've had difficulties with voice navigation
Voice navigation is one of the most helpful Google Map features, allowing for truly hands-free use — so you don't, say, compound getting lost by also getting pulled over for looking at your phone. Recently, though, users have been complaining about glitches with the voice nav feature — especially for drivers who might want to use any language other than English.
Google's old-school navigation drawer for Messages is now available for some beta users
Along with Photos integration for avoiding MMS
Read update
Google spent the bulk of last year overhauling the design of both Android and all of its associated apps, and for the most part, it's been a success. Material You brings simplified menus and straightforward methods for accessing all the tools and options in an app while adding splashes of colors pulled directly from your wallpaper. Messages got its own redesign last fall, but it seems like Google is bringing a throwback design to one of its many, many messaging services.
Google's latest planet-saving aspiration is controlling the traffic lights
Plus the launch of Nest Renew for your smart thermostat
Like so many big companies these days, Google's very concerned about the environment, and loves sharing with us all the steps it's taking to be a good corporate citizen. Those have invovled efforts like reducing the amount of carbon-based energy used to power its campuses and data centers. Today Google's announcing its latest progress along those lines, including new environmental data in response to user searches, the introduction of the Nest Renew program, some tweaks to Maps, and an ambitious plan that may one day have Google controlling the traffic lights in your town.
Android Auto may get multitasking on the navigation screen, and somebody will surely complain
But it's just the split-screen mode for non-widescreen head units
Android Auto has gone through quite a few revisions over the years, with many changes aimed at making the interface easier to use while people are driving. With the latest update, a new interface is in development that may promise to keep the navigation screen in view all the time so drivers never have to switch screens just to check notifications or control music.
Weekend poll: When do you use Google Maps for navigation?
Is it a daily necessity or something just for road trips?
It's Labor Day weekend here in the US, marking the unofficial end of summer. Students are returning to school, pools and water parks are closing for the season, and soon enough, your neighbor will coat their home in Halloween decorations. That's not to say you can't squeeze in a final road trip, of course, and Google Maps is the perfect app to get you wherever you want to go.
Google Photos has a new way to show who's looking at your pictures
It's a central hub for all the photos you've shared, or others have shared with you
Google has been pushing a lot more functionality into Photos as of late, even after it sunset its most popular feature by far. Check your app today: if the odds are in your favor, you might see a new entry on the bottom navigation bar. Don't get too excited though, it's just a direct link to some of the app's less obvious social features.
Act like it's 2005 again with TomTom AmiGO's new Android Auto support
If, for some reason, you'd rather not use Waze or Google Maps
Last week, Google finally made it possible to bring third-party navigation apps to Android Auto without requiring a beta version. The company promoted a list of new driving services coming alongside the change, including TomTom AmiGo. If you're looking to switch away from Google Maps or Waze, a new update to AmiGo adds Android Auto support to display on your car's infotainment system.
Google Maps may soon help you avoid railroad crossings along your route
The alerts show where the crossings are, not live train positions
Living in a small town crisscrossed by train tracks is a recipe frustration if you need to get anywhere in a hurry. Google knows this, and is starting to integrate railroad crossing info into Google Maps navigation. The feature isn't official yet, but it's showing up for a few users.
Google Maps' new Go tab takes you to frequently-visited places in a tap
You won't have to manually look up your gym or school anymore
You can now change the car navigation icon in Google Maps, but the options are pretty lame
Let's just say you probably won't end up using them
Google Maps may be getting a new driving mode, but it turns out that the engineers over there are having some fun with more trivial things as well. The Maps app has just added three vehicle icons that you can opt to replace the car navigation icon with, though you likely won't.
Waze routes can now be planned on your computer and sent to your phone
Similar to a feature Google Maps already offers
Despite Waze having fewer overall features and a less refined UI than Google Maps, I still find myself using Waze as often as possible for its police reporting system. Today, however, Waze is getting a feature that's been on Maps for a while: the ability to plan a route on your computer and send it to your phone.
Google Maps starts widely displaying traffic lights on Android🚦
It'll come in handy for those who spend more time looking at their screen than at the road
Earlier this summer, Google Maps started displaying traffic lights for some users. Although that appeared to be an experimental feature, as none of us at AndroidPolice could get them to show up, they're finally rolling out widely.
Android 11's launcher lets you swipe up on secondary homescreens to go back to the main one
Beta 2 brings back a way to directly access Recents from the launcher, too
When Google first introduced its take on gesture navigation with Android 10, one navigation option die-hard Android fans are used to disappeared — there was no longer a way to quickly jump back from a secondary homescreen to the first page, which you could do by tapping the home button. Android 11 is looking to fix that.
Google Maps preps displaying traffic lights on Android
Helping you drive more anticipatory, even when you don't know the road ahead of you
When navigating via Google Maps, traffic lights are one of the biggest unknowns and something Google won't warn you about — I could sing a song or two about this as I once caused an accident due to a red light I oversaw at an unfamiliar, complicated crossroads (thankfully, no one got hurt). It looks like Google recognizes this potential hazard and wants to help people navigate unknown streets better, as the company is working on adding traffic lights information in Maps.
Android Auto just got new Material icons in Google Maps navigation
It's never too late for a little more consistency
Google typically rolls out changes to its design language every couple years, but many of the company's apps still take months, if not years to catch up. The wireframe style icons that started popping up in 2018 have become fairly ubiquitous, but there are still a few notable holdouts. Android Auto would have been counted among them, but it looks like a new set of icons has been silently swapped in for the Google Maps navigation interface.