Google Maps for Mobile 5

by Tyler Miller on December 6th, 2010 at 11:50 pm

GM5
Hot on the heels of Rubin demoing a Honeycomb device, he decided now is a great time to preview Google Maps 5 for Mobile.

Among the new features: Vectors rather than boring flat images. Tilt and rotate with two fingers, when you’re not pinching and zooming. And, finally, caching. No longer will Google Maps navigation be dependent on a data connection.

Thankfully, most of the semi-modern phones and on (read Droid) will be able to taste this. Endadget got a list of the phones that will support GM5 100%:

  • Galaxy S
  • Droid
  • Droid X
  • Droid 2
  • Droid Incredible
  • Evo
  • Nexus S
  • G2

[via Engadget]

A few clarifications:

1. This isn’t released yet, the barcode below is simply procedure here at Phandroid. Scanning it will not take you to the update.

2. The Nexus One isn’t on the list because it isn’t 100% compatible due to it lacking certain multitouch requirements.


Google Maps

QR Code Thumb

Get Google Maps with Navigation (Beta), Places, and Latitude*Navigation: Free, voice-guided GPS navigation system *Places: Find, rate, and get recom... Read More

Downloads >250,000

Developed by Google Inc.

  • Steve

    Hmm, when will this be available?

  • Terrell

    This looks amazing. It is amazing how Android is shaping up. The competition has quite a bit to compete against now. Android ftw!!!

  • darkjuan

    I don’t see a 5.0 version of Maps on the Market. I scanned the code and it came up with the version I already have on my phone. 4.7

  • GrayFox814

    Bah! Why is the nexus one not on that list?!

  • GrayFox814

    It’ll be out in the next few days

  • Khalid

    Before anyone freaks out (too late, I guess) full compatibility means being able to tilt and rotate. The Nexus One won’t be able to do that, but will do everything else (and the off-line caching of images is the part that matters) as far as I understand.

    Also, he said it’d be available on phones in a few days.

  • Kevin

    Good to see the HTC Evo on the list :)

    Regarding the Nexus One

    “The Nexus One, interestingly enough, supports vector maps but not the rotate functionality because it lacks the latter multitouch requirements.”
    Engadget post

  • CR@ASH

    Hm what about the original Droid?

  • jerry

    We all know the real reason the Nexus One isn’t on the list….

  • Dannyboy

    Darkjuan don’t be a moron. The article cleary states the application isn’t available yet.
    Anyway’s this looks totally f√©king bad a$$! I hope they implement this in google maps navigation satellite view!

  • http://@jeffsandroid Jeffsandroid

    It’s a little ironic that the Nexus One isn’t fully compatible, guess this marks the beinning of the end of the Nexus One’s spectacular run. Heck at least it still has a notification LED, and a micro-sd card slot. Nexus S.. wah wah

  • Hyouroh

    what about the MT4G. If the G2 would work I would think that it would too.

  • vinay

    What about the HTC desire? Since it is pretty similar to the nexus one, will it suffer the same fate.

  • poundstar

    Pretty sure that’s not a complete list.

    Nexus One owner

  • Chris93036

    so without the need of a data connection to load your saved maps.. does that mean that any tablet running android that has the map saved on the device work as a navigation!?

  • http://woah.com user

    What about the HTC desire? Since it is pretty similar to the nexus one, will it suffer the same fate.

    The reason the Nexus One probably isn’t supported is because multi-touch doesn’t work properly on it. The Desire, unfortunately suffers the same problem.

    For an example, open callery 3d and try and ‘pinch open’ the stacks of photos. They spread apart the wrong way!

  • Rob

    How come the Desire HD isn’t on that list. It’s only been out a few weeks! I’ve got a feeling that list is very incomplete!

  • joschi

    @rob there is no desire HD at the U.S market… if HTC g2/Desire Z Is supported and the evo 4g you can be sure the HD is supported as well… I own 1 too

  • DanGrover

    Why are you all asking “What about xxx” as if ANYONE’s going to know here.

  • Tom Robson

    What about my G1?!

  • UncleMike

    All they need now is automatic traffic-based rerouting, and a few more routing options, and they’ll really be giving PNDs a something to worry about.

  • Michael

    What about my Nokia 1100?!?

  • Douglas Barros

    Will the Mytouch 4G work? It is a very high end phone, faster than some in that list.

  • Dave

    @UncleMike – I was surprised that they don’t do traffic-based rerouting. I had to revert to my TomTom while traveling over Thanksgiving break. This is such an obvious feature, I just assumed that it would do it. I’m looking forward to when they improve things a bit more.

  • Tom Robson

    What about my DynaTAC 8000X?

  • moises

    My photo stack on the 3d gallery work fine >.<

  • Bobert

    Will this work on my commodore 64?

  • Nigel

    Vectors – so hot. Being able to load a whole state map in the same amount of memory…awesome!!!! Goodbye standalone GPS

  • Jnewkirk

    What about my rotary dial wireline phone? It has a wired connection so it should FLY!

  • Frank

    What? No Motorola Razr! Fail!

  • Hahahaha

    LOL AT TOM ROBSON.

  • RebelScum

    @Dave: Although it does not do *automatic* traffic re-routing, you can do it manually. If you press Menu, then Route info, then the grey button in the bottom right, it will give you 2-3 route alternatives, with time estimates that do include traffic data. I usually do this once at the beginning of a trip, to make sure I have the best route selected (it doesn’t do this itself for some reason).

  • Ron

    Hmmm… not compatible with the Samsung Galaxy Tab?

  • Dave

    @RebelScum – thanks for the tip! I’ll try it out next time…

  • gad

    What about my Nokia 3310, will it not be supported?

  • Rab Jacksin

    mt4g

  • Jeff

    For all of you folks crying about the Nexus One…. the Nexus One never had a true multi-touch screen. At best it is a dual touch screen. So, no, it cannot handle all of the gestures that the new map app supports. That’s is why it’s not on the list.

    And, yes, I have a Nexus One.

  • tom

    The mytouch 4g is the fastest phone out atm. Why isnt it on the list?



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