The much needed convenience of browsing maps in the offline mode has been pulled together in the latest version of the Google Maps app for Android. Basically, users can select a particular area from more than 150 nations for perusing its mapping data in the absence of a mobile data connection.
With this new feature, maps for up to 6 metropolitan regions can be zeroed in for accessing them in the offline mode. The facility is accessible, irrespective of whether the concerned device has just Wi-Fi or any other network connectivity. First off, handset owners need to mark the place they wish to inspect, following which the ‘Make available offline’ option must be tapped.
Considering that maps could eat up a lot of space, the concerned user needs to specify the desired file size. Once these essentials are cleared, the download process will begin. For GPS-enabled devices, the blue dot indicating the current location is claimed to work regardless of the presence or absence of an internet connection.
Those with a compass on their handsets can mark their orientation in the absence of a 3G or Wi-Fi connection. Mountain View has also introduced a new Compass Mode for Street View within the application. The attribute provides a 360-degree panoramic glimpse of indoor as well as outdoor locations via Business Photos. This function supports Android v3.0 or later devices, as well as a gyroscope sensor plus version 1.8.1, says the official Google Lat Long blog.
The refreshed Google Maps app for Android can be downloaded via Google Play.