Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Google has formally introduced the rollout of offline maps in Google Maps on Put on OS watches, together with the Pixel Watch 1 and a couple of, OnePlus Watch, latest Galaxy Watches, and extra. The function has been slowly trickling for a few weeks, nevertheless it ought to now be accessible to everybody and I feel it is best to put it to good use instantly, identical to I did earlier than packing for a 10-day journey to Albania.
The reality is that nobody plans to be misplaced in unfamiliar areas with no connection, however sudden issues do occur on the most sudden of instances. I wish to be ready, and since I stay in a comparatively new nation and wish to journey to much more unfamiliar locations, I depend on Google Maps rather a lot to information me round. I additionally all the time obtain the offline map of my present metropolis to my cellphone, simply in case I’m in an space with a spotty connection. However what occurs when the cellphone’s battery runs out? Nicely, offline maps on smartwatches come to the rescue!
When your cellphone is out of attain or its battery is lifeless, having a backup offline map could be very helpful — even on a tiny show.
If the function is obtainable to you, you’ll see a discover the second you open the Maps app in your watch. Go forward and scroll down, previous the latest searches, and to the underside of the choices. Proper above Settings, you’ll see a brand new Offline maps menu. Opening that reveals a brand new display screen the place you’ll be able to handle your offline maps.
By default, nothing is downloaded to your watch, and the app explains that it’s good to first handle offline maps in your Android cellphone. So that you begin by downloading an space on Google Maps in your cellphone and when you do, you’ll see that map pop up as downloadable on the watch, identical to you see with the Albania map under.
Faucet to obtain, faucet the checkmark, and also you’ll see the obtain progress. If it’s a giant map, you may wish to go away your watch on a charger inside your Wi-Fi community to hurry up the method and keep away from losing battery life. As soon as the obtain is full, you’ll see the map’s full measurement together with a checkmark subsequent to it.
Now, you’ll be able to faucet that map once more to delete it or simply go away it’s and return to the primary Maps app. In my expertise, downloaded maps load a lot quicker on the watch after I needed to browse round and, as you’ll be able to see within the two screenshots under, they do work offline (stricken cloud icon on prime).
Throughout my 10 days in Albania, I used to be ready to make use of the map even when my cellphone was away or disconnected. I might zoom out and in as a lot as I needed, proper all the way down to avenue stage, test my environment in Shkoder, seek for locations in Tirana, and get driving instructions in Vlore. Having that gave me a bit of additional peace of thoughts, figuring out that I might return to my resort even when my Pixel 9 Professional XL‘s battery collapsed below the stress of 1,000,000 every day photographs of the gorgeous Albanian panorama.
The restrictions listed here are just like offline Google Maps on the cellphone. You don’t see rankings or critiques; you’ll be able to’t get strolling, transit, or biking instructions; and there aren’t any visitors updates when driving. I do perceive the limitation behind a few of these — rankings or critiques would take loads of house, whereas transit and visitors require stay updates — however I’m nonetheless a bit miffed that I can’t get fundamental strolling or biking instructions when offline. It shouldn’t require an web connection to inform me learn how to stroll from level A to level B.
Nonetheless, in case you depend on Maps in your on a regular basis life, this can be a welcome bonus and a nifty trick — even on a tiny show — to ensure you have a backup plan when your cellphone is out of attain, or its battery is lifeless.
