Good news for out-and-about Android addicts -- the Google Maps app has been updated and now lets you save maps to use offline.
A new button inside the app lets you download maps, dragging and zooming to fit the area you want to save into an on-screen square.
Naturally our first thought was to try and save the whole of the UK for offline viewing, but the app deemed our selection too large. We zoomed in until it worked, and found that we were able to download an area a little bit larger than the M25. You should be able to save an area roughly the size of your home town, which really is what you'd want from an offline service like this.
Make your selection, and the download begins. Once it's complete, you won't need to consume data loading new maps when you're out and about -- something that could save you time and money.
Saved maps are stored in 'My Places', under the 'offline' tab. You can find your location within a saved map and orient yourself with compass mode without incurring any charges, as these features don't require a data connection.
There appear to be some teething issues however -- when we tried to save London for offline navigation, the download failed. Slashgear meanwhile reports glitches within saved maps, such as landmarks and road names not showing up.
These issues could be down to the service being very new, so here's hoping any bugs get ironed out soon. There are some other limitations too -- it doesn't look like you can use saved maps for navigation or finding a route.
Google thinks offline mode will be useful for exploring new towns, and I can see how it could help if you're heading abroad and are worried about getting around without data.
Apple, meanwhile, is splitting from Google's maps when iOS 6 touches down this autumn, bringing rival services like Flyover, which pans scenically around locations. Pretty perhaps, but will it actually be any use?
The Google Maps update is available now in the Play store. If you'd like to see it in action right now, check out the chirpy promo video below, and let me know how you use your phone to get around in the comments or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 20
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anonymous 28 June, 2012 11:11
A bit pointless if you can't navigate with it - surely this can't be difficult for Google to implement?
anonymous 28 June, 2012 12:13
Useless. I can download entire STATES on my IPHONE by using a simple app called TOPO maps. Works ANYWHERE without cellphone coverage.
anonymous 28 June, 2012 12:14
how is this different from precaching? that feature is great, not to save data but for when you don't have a connection, it's gotten me unlost from the middle of nowhere a few times now
tomfromaardvark 28 June, 2012 12:27
For now its better to just stick with the pre-cached maps setting in labs.... it does the same job but a lot better for the moment... probably have to wait a few months for google to iron out the kinks!
samuelc 28 June, 2012 13:55
I just tried to download Budapest for offline viewing and it said 'not available in selected area." What's the point of this if it won't download major European cities?
Also, I am able to cache Budapest for offline viewing using the option in Labs, but I can't download it. It makes no sense.
Fabian Vargas 28 June, 2012 15:00
I just tried to download Bogota for offline viewing and it said 'not available in selected area." What's the point of this if it won't download major South American cities?
anonymous 28 June, 2012 17:02
Have a look at NOKIA maps to see how this should be done. You can download entire countries and do offline search and directions. Hopefully Google will offer the same features, it would be a huge leap forward.
samuelc 28 June, 2012 17:10
Great - and even worse.... they have now removed the option for pre-caching from labs! Which means because of this update I am no longer able to have the area pre-cached for my holiday.
Nice one google, you've massively screwed up there.
anonymous 29 June, 2012 09:44
Lalan is my friend
tomfromaardvark 29 June, 2012 16:20
Such a shame... Pre-Caching worked so nicely, especially for a Labs feature... should have just installed pre-cach as default... silly google :(
anonymous 1 July, 2012 15:27
Might be in the minority here, but I actually find the pre-caching feature on Google Maps (6.5.1) rather flakey on my HTC Desire. The cached areas often seem to clear by themselves, which has been rather inconvenient when I've been left without a data connection for some reason. Hoping this new version will be more reliable and less 'beta-ish'!
anonymous 10 July, 2012 05:14
Useless. Maps don't download. Most droid phones rely on SD for mass storage, even if maps download, you'll run out of space as a result..... Feature set reduced..... No list of coutries unsupported for caching....... Fail, fail, fail and fail again. Stupidly useless.
anonymous 11 July, 2012 10:57
Complete and utter waste of time - both searching and directions still need a data connection so until this is sorted this is mis represented as 'offline' !!
anonymous 5 August, 2012 18:23
"You should be able to save an area roughly the size of your home town, which really is what you'd want from an offline service like this."
Well, my old TomTom has a fixed 1Gb of storage and has detailed maps of all of Western Europe. My Andoid phone has 16Gb (expandable) and can store a map of one town? No, that REALLY isn't what I'd want from an offline service.
anonymous 5 August, 2012 18:23
"You should be able to save an area roughly the size of your home town, which really is what you'd want from an offline service like this."
Well, my old TomTom has a fixed 1Gb of storage and has detailed maps of all of Western Europe. My Andoid phone has 16Gb (expandable) and can store a map of one town? No, that REALLY isn't what I'd want from an offline service.
anonymous 5 August, 2012 18:25
"You should be able to save an area roughly the size of your home town, which really is what you'd want from an offline service like this."
Well, my old TomTom has a fixed 1Gb of storage and has detailed maps of all of Western Europe. My Andoid phone has 16Gb (expandable) and can store a map of one town? No, that REALLY isn't what I'd want from an offline service.
anonymous 5 August, 2012 18:26
"You should be able to save an area roughly the size of your home town, which really is what you'd want from an offline service like this."
Well, my old TomTom has a fixed 1Gb of storage and has detailed maps of all of Western Europe. My Andoid phone has 16Gb (expandable) and can store a map of one town? No, that REALLY isn't what I'd want from an offline service.
anonymous 20 September, 2012 12:10
Its useless since it doesnt allow you to search places while working offline ... :P
what a shame.
philippapspr 1 October, 2012 14:23
A-Z do some good ones offline ones for London. Look like the books so really familiar and easy to use
anonymous 3 January, 2013 20:19
The 100MB limit is absurd... I have 16Gb on my phone, what's the idea limiting maps to such a small area??? Doesn't Google follow the news, that cellular data is getting more and more expensive (I pay $10 for 100MB!) while regular broadband is about a dollar per GB and memory costs about the same? What's the idea? Does Google get a kickback from cellular providers for data use???