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Google Announces Offline Maps and Navigation Coming Soon to iOS

taptic said:
Microsoft's here app has been doing this rather well for the past couple of months now. 5 gb download for turn by turn, completely offline directions in the United States. And it has maps for almost everywhere, not just the US.
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Agreed. Alternatively, MapsWithMe is also doing a nice job. So Google might (for once) be a bit late to the party...
 
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Microsoft doesn't own the Here app, but yeah it has offered this for quite some time, and Here's mapping data is used in most in-car navigation systems and is pretty solid.
 
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eh, whatever... ;) i am lucky to have ditched google maps about a year ago. use apple maps for location in UK and its been pretty good with constant improvemnts (your experience might vary) and here maps for driving. both are fantastic at what they does. and im happy to keep google out of my device!
 
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Cybbe said:
Microsoft doesn't own the Here app, but yeah it has offered this for quite some time, and Here's mapping data is used in most in-car navigation systems and is pretty solid.
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and has a well-timed response that gives you enough time to change lane etc during driving in unfamiliar roads
 
DavidLeblond said:
Coulda used this 3 weeks ago during my honeymoon in Paris. I took a snapshot of Paris on Google Maps and didn't realize until we were lost in the middle of the city that it didn't record road names.
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Should have downloaded Pocket Earth. You could have come to Macrumors forum and asked us for recommendations on offline map apps. But instead you took a screenshot...
 
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taptic said:
Microsoft's here app has been doing this rather well for the past couple of months now. 5 gb download for turn by turn, completely offline directions in the United States. And it has maps for almost everywhere, not just the US.

Of course I'll be happy to see which provides more information along with the maps etc.
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I hope it's better than the bing maps some sites force on you. They are the worst I've encountered.
 
It sounds like you don't need to load your route ahead of time. I'm wondering if you can just download a specified area and then navigate anywhere within it while offline.
 
I thought this existed already
 

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About time! In the 1980's I had GPS for my computer via a dongle that worked offline - no internet connection necessary. The maps in that worked even without the GPS dongle. It was great.

Fast forward to 2003 through 2015 and maps require you to be connected to the internet. This makes them very not useful.

Hopefully other vendors like Apple will follow suite.
 
MacRumors said:



Offline-Maps-Google.jpg
Google has announced that the latest version of Google Maps for Android has an improved offline mode, providing access to turn-by-turn directions and several other features in areas without a reliable cellular data or internet connection. It also confirmed these features will be coming soon to iOS, but did not provide a specific release timeframe.

Google Maps was previously limited to viewing maps while offline, but this update will enable iPhone users to navigate with turn-by-turn driving directions, search for specific destinations and look up information about places, including hours of operation, contact information and ratings, while offline.Google previewed Offline Maps at Google I/O in May, and will be gradually rolling out the new features to Android and iOS users.

Article Link: Google Announces Offline Maps and Navigation Coming Soon to iOS
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I will never forget the time when exploring area surrounding Hanoi, on a rented motorbike and without a paper map. Only my Ipad with Google Maps of the area which I downloaded in my hotel. No internet on the road and only the little blue GPS dot on the map, kinda showing me where the heck I am.

Forget about asking locals for directions.

If the Ipad switched off, the map would disappear forever. Fortunately it did not and I went back to Hanoi without a scratch. Did about 400 KM that day, praying that my Ipad would stay on.

This is a major improvement. Thanks, Google Maps.
I will try it again soon.
 
maxsix said:
That's a terrific warm and fuzzy story suggesting that Apple is on high. At the top of the mountain looking down on "their people" ... protecting them, Apples keeping them safe from harm.

A vast number of iPhone users actually believe this. They believe the Apple corporation is not like the rest, that Apple is not hyper focused on fat profits (as all corporations rightly do ) but more concerned with protecting their flock.

With a pile of evidence so high you can't see over it (our cash) the faithful sing Apples praises. A very impressive demonstration of the power and control of the late Steve Jobs.
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You are projecting a a lot into the what I wrote. I take it that you didn't follow the story when it occurred in 2012. Apple wanted turn by turn and Google wanted location data. In the end they couldn't agree and the contact wasn't renewed. People seem to think that if Apple stayed with Google that for map data, Google Maps would be the default. That is not true. Apple did make the best choice for users. Put it this way, if Apple renewed the contract, iOS maps would not have turn by turn and Google probably would not have released an app in the store. Dropping Google lead to a renascence in Nav apps on iOS. We got native turn by turn and a better Google maps. Competition is good.
 
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Most people seem to be unaware that you can already download maps offline with current version of Google Maps for iOS...
 
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