How to get offline maps back in the new Google Maps for Android update
In case you haven’t noticed, the latest version of Google Maps for Android is missing one key feature that Android users have come to know and love. I’m talking about offline maps, a feature which wasn’t perfect or available for everyone, but was invaluable for those who had no trouble using it effectively. We’re not sure what prompted this change, but we’ll be looking for answers anywhere we can get them.
In the meantime, users can actually continue to use offline maps by searching for “OK Maps” while viewing the area they want cached for offline use. It’s a lot less intuitive and more hard to remember than the convenient menu option that was there before.
We’re left scratching our heads about Google’s motive for making this change. The company hasn’t indicated whether or not it’ll look to reintroduce this feature at a later date. The fact that the feature is still in the application (but hidden) has us holding onto hope that something else — like a new implementation — is in the works, but for now we’re clueless. You can download the new Google Maps update from the Google Play Store.
[via Google]