Google Maps offline-mode search and navigation announced

[HEXUS]

User will also be able to check opening hours and reviews without any data connection.

Read more.

[Jonj1611]

Better late than never.

[LSG501]

about time but you still need data to get said maps in advance....unless you save it but I don't actually know anyone who does that.

[Jonj1611]

Windows phones have been doing this from the off, its a couple of hundred meg download like most mapping apps to get the whole UK map downloaded. More for Europe etc.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

what am i missing? i was able to get offline google maps 3 years ago?

[deejayburnout]

I though so too. I have my local area saved on my phone in case I need it.

[aeonf242]

I though so too. I have my local area saved on my phone in case I need it.

I think you've missed that in the article....

Previously Google added the ability to download a map for offline use with Google Maps. However it wasn't very useful. That facility is limited to a 50Km square area, and "even if you save an offline map, certain features won't work if you don't have an Internet connection, such as searching, navigation and map layers" explains the Google mobile maps support page.

[Percy1983]

One of the reasons I got my windows phone a couple of years ago, as good news as this is I am staying windows.

[Odeas]

This is why I've got NavFree installed on my tablet.
Free, easy to use and been reliable so far, and have to hotspot my phone to use G.Maps while on the go.

Prefer to use Google Maps but was nice to have when I was in the middle of Wales with a dead phone battery. I'll probably keep both even when G.Maps offline mode eventually arrives until I can trust it.

[preter_s]

about time but you still need data to get said maps in advance....unless you save it but I don't actually know anyone who does that.

Everybody does that except you (& other morons called i-Crap users) - its called Wifi download. Its called having unlimited cheap storage on SD cards. We've been doing it forever with HERE, OSMAnd, Mapfactor Navigator etc. etc. Wake up!

[j.o.s.h.1408]

When is this update going to come as the current maps doesn't do it yet

[law000]

This is good - often has driving unknown rural roads with no data connection plagued google maps. If only they had made this move sooner