Today we're releasing an upgrade to Google Maps for Android-powered phones. We've added a whole host of new features and fixed a few issues with Google Latitude.You can now search Google Maps for Android using your voice, making it easier than ever to look up places while on the go. Whether you're searching for an address, a business, or nearby windsurfing spots, just speak your query and Google Maps will find it. Our voice recognition engine currently understands English in American, Australian, and British accents. After you search, you'll see a map of places. To help you decide where to go, we've improved our business listings to include content such as store hours, prices, ratings, and reviews.
We also added transit and walking directions to Google Maps for Android. You can now get directions using public transportation in over 250 cities, including New York City and San Francisco. If you're looking for the best route on foot, use walking directions to take advantage of pedestrian-only pathways and to avoid one-way restrictions - just in time for summer!
Google Maps for Android includes some big improvements to Google Latitude. We fixed an issue that caused background location updates to periodically stop for some of you. Now, once you select "Detect your location" from the Latitude privacy menu, your location will continue to update as long as your phone is on.
You may also notice a new experimental feature called Updates that lets you communicate with friends and post messages. Start Latitude and click the "Updates" tab to shout out updates at friends when they're at interesting locations, start a conversation when you're at your favorite restaurant, or just add more details to your Latitude location for your friends to see. Your friends will also need to download this new version of Google Maps for Android in order to use this experimental Updates feature -- they will not get your messages otherwise.
Unlike past Android software updates for the T-Mobile G1 or HTC Magic, the new Google Maps release won't be automatically pushed to your phone over the next few days. Instead, the upgrade is available for download in the Android Market. Just search for "Google Maps" and install today.
UPDATE: For those of you looking for Street View in Google Maps on Android, you'll find that we've integrated it more tightly with the rest of the app. Street View is no longer its own map mode. You can now check out Street View directly from any search result where imagery is available. You can also long-press any point on the map, in map view or satellite view, and you'll see a Street View thumbnail wherever imagery is available.
By Ole CaveLie and Chandan Pitta, Software Engineers
Love it! Why no mention of the helpful new movement-based direction arrow? I hope Google Mobile team is working in integrating more ancilliary features directly into the Map app. There is no reason My Maps Editor should be a separate application!
ReplyDeleteThis would have been great for when I was in San Francisco for Google I/O a couple weeks ago. :-(
ReplyDeleteOh well, c'est la vie.
Works super so far, and even with limited information it seems to figure out what you mean. Wish I could use voice recognition in the directions field as well.
ReplyDeleteBut where did street view go?
Update Route!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!
Thanks for adding the public transit directions. Since switching from the iPhone, that's one feature I sorely missed. Good job and keep it up.
ReplyDeleteGreat update! 2 questions:
ReplyDelete1. Will Latitude users, not on Android, be able to see shouts or 'Shout out' themselves (iGoogle users or Blackberry users for instance)?
2. What is the string used to point to apps on the Market directly? //market something...
I would like to be able to send a link to friends via Google Talk.
Overall a really great upgrade. Finally routes can be planned to arbitrary points. Speed improvements are noticeable, too (most probably due to removing the zoom-button-fade-in-and-out).
ReplyDeleteI am still missing the feature to actually save arbitrary points to some sort of favorite list. Win Mobile and iPhone have this feature for a long time now!
What's also bad is that the Street View map overlay has disappeared. With the update i cannot tell if a location has Street View by looking at the map alone. I have to try-and-error myself through the streets. VERY annoying! Street View becomes virtually useless if you have no clue what countries and cities feature Street View imagery. ... or am i missing something here?
I am really happy with all the improvements. But I am frustrated, with the disappearance of Street View. That is a critical feature on a mobile device.
ReplyDeleteIs it gone forever? Coming back?
In fact the Street View feature did not disappear, only the map overlay did. You can now long-press on any road and then tap on the address-bubble. Then comes a menu where you can select Street View if it's available. Actually you can tell that Street View is available if the address-bubble show a little picture of the location where you long pressed.
ReplyDeleteI still prefer the map overlay where you have the complete overview of where Street View is available and where not. :-(
Getting "Low Memory" warnings with traffic on.. So are others here... Seems like Traffic in regions with a lot of data "e.g LA area" is overruning the memory available.
ReplyDeleteAnyone at Google seen this?? For here in LA, if the map developers now load the entire region or a larger region that would be a no go - it's a lot of data..
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ReplyDeleteAh, thanks sLoP. That'll take a little getting used to, but glad it's still there.
ReplyDeleteSome more comprehensive release notes, somewhere, would be nice.
Had to play with it for a while! This version is a major improvement over the current app for Android. I'll never be late or early waiting for a bus or train again in NYC.
ReplyDeleteNot able to download it in the market. I'm based in New Zealand and am unable to download paid apps etc. Is there a way around this? I'm hoping the the Google lads understand that there's a world outside the US and a fair amount of Android users overseas. Be fantastic if these updates worked globally...
ReplyDeleteI hope these features (and more) are added to the Palm Pre!
ReplyDeleteCould not find Google Maps via a search in the Android Market from my G1. I'm still waiting for OTA update to 1.5 cupcake. Does that have anything to do with it? I should be able to still find it in the market if other people here are.
ReplyDeleteI already found unfortunate bugs with transit directions--
ReplyDeletewhen you choose to view on map and hit menu or long-hold, it just stays on the route screen or shows a blank screen. Clicking it still takes you to the map, though.
The route also seemed to auto-update from "My Location" which is awful because I had a GPS fix, then, while looking at the route, it GPS gets turned off and reverts to cell-tower location, which changes my route!
Hey Brian... You know you can do a manual update to 1.5, right?
ReplyDeleteGreat update. How about rotating the map using the compass information? =) like iPhone OS 3.0 GMaps app does.
ReplyDeleteI would love...........center-lock, on location of phone. Have the map rotate, towards the direction you are moving. That would be so helpful and less-confusing at times while driving :)
ReplyDeleteGreat update though :)
@Mikey
ReplyDeleteI totally agree! Track up would be a wonderful option. When using the phone for driving directions I set it in my dash mount. I constantly have to swipe my finger across the screen to see where I am at again.
Other than that this update is very nice.
I'm in Japan with a German G1 and the new maps doesn't show up in the market. Please fix this.
ReplyDeleteThe button to enable the microphone does not appear on my Rogers HTC Magic in Canada? Bug or 'feature'?
ReplyDeleteWhat happened to the compass?
ReplyDeleteYou should update the latitude page for UK, because with the latest release of google map now latiture is available for G1 in UK too. (google map upgrade is available in the android market)
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff, I can finally use the G1 to calculate walking routes for me.
ReplyDeleteAnd Latitude works now.
Is it possible to set a default address for directions? For example, by default I would like to get directions from my home address unless I change it.
ReplyDelete@adrianhensler thats just the canadian govt meddling in your life trying to make you safe. on other notes. I would love to see a feature for latitude that buzzes my phone when my peepz are nearby, say within a km or something. Otherwise awesome update!
ReplyDelete@grempel
@ meeshi
ReplyDeleteThe way i do it is a create a contact with my own info.
When picking "directions" i simply pick contacts option *that includes my address* and go from there.
Thanks guys, great update and nicely distributed through the Marketplace!
ReplyDeleteThe direction arrow is a terrific new feature.
If we're dreaming of the future: I'd love have a way to save maps right in the application, so you could plan vacation routes, for instance.
And, a lock to center and rotate option would be awesome. I know right now by selecting "My Location" it locks you to the center, but that's not terribly intuitive and it seems to break if you change the zoom.
Anyway, keep up the great work guys!
voice search doesn't work
ReplyDeleteFor some reason entering in a street address in Seattle keeps giving me a "No result found" message. Trying both my home and work address, and playing with formatting hasn't improved the result. Is there a bug here?
ReplyDeleteThank you thank you thank you. The lack of public transit and walking directions had been driving me nuts!
ReplyDeleteI have a HTC DREAM, using Rogers Wireless, how can i make the Google Maps Directions show transit directions? it seems so many phones have this ability, however this new phone only gives driving directions. please don't tell me to search something, as i have done this for days now... please give clear and direct links with direction on how to ad this feature. thanks.
ReplyDeleteGreat update on the whole.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame that it looks like Transport for London aren't sharing out their public transport info. Apparently it takes 7hrs to get from London Waterloo to Canary Wharf, and you have to go via Canterbury in Kent(!) Anyone know why they're not sharing? I guess they probably want you to buy their own journey planner from the market...
Also, disappointed that there is no voice search again for UK users.
I'm from Brazil and I can't search for a Google Maps on market. Nothing is returned. Please fix it.
ReplyDeleteAnother frustrated user from Denmark. Voice search does not work - mic is absent.
ReplyDeleteCan somebody explain why?
This is currently unusable in Australia on the Optus / HTC Dream because it is still running version 1.1 of android. Therefor it will not appear in the market.
ReplyDeleteThis morning I found an update to the version 3.1.1 in the german Android Market. Are there any release notes? I could not find any information with the google search.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot...
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ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeletesame thing here on french network, version 3.1.1 ...
any info on this update ?
Here in brazil It still not available on market. I'm using cupcake 1.5.
ReplyDeleteSo... how about voice search for Blackberry users?
ReplyDeleteSee the new 3.1.1 also, STILL haven't fixed the "low memory" on traffic problem; seems to happen in LA area (guess a lot of traffic data for the region)... Anyone at Google seen this??
ReplyDeletewhen am i going to be able to CACHE the basic maps of my city ?!!! I am tired of re-downloading the same image of downtown...
ReplyDeleteSadly fun features not fully, enabled in the UK
ReplyDeleteNo voice search that i can find, and local transport directions does not use the info from TransportForLondon.
Also would be great to have either a compass or a rotating map to know which way to walk...
Agree, when we will be able to cache maps images?
ReplyDeleteHave developer phone in NZ, no Google Maps in Marketplace - can we please have a copy of this, ffs we are the people making apps for your platform, we need to be able to integrate features as they are released!!
ReplyDeleteAlso why cant we have the maps rotate on the G1, but can on the G2?
fix fix fix!!!
So disappointing not to have voice search in the uk.
ReplyDeleteIf it recognises british voices in the maps how come we can't have it for full google voice searches too. Currently neither working for me on the Magic.
Want want want!
:D
Greg
When will there be Voice Instructions for navigation? Looking at the screen can be really dangerous in traffic. I almost ran into another car today looking at the instructions.
ReplyDelete