Google Maps 8.1.0 - app

Google Maps for Android provides an unrivaled way to find your way around using your mobile phone.

Eye in the sky

With Google Maps installed on your device, you can view street and satellite maps of the whole World. Not only this, but it can be used to plot routes, find local places of interest, socialize with people around you and 'walk' along roads with Google's Street View.

Google Maps is incredibly easy to use on your Android device. The application automatically detects your current location and displays it on screen. You can move around by holding your finger and dragging the screen and zoom in and out by pinching with your fingers.

Getting from A to B

Plotting routes and getting directions in Google Maps is very easy. You can get directions from A to B by searching for the start and end points, or clicking on them on the map. Towns and streets can be looked up by keyword or voice searching.

Since the Google Maps 7.0 update, unfortunately you can no longer use the My Places feature in the Android app. This means it's no longer possible to apply Layers to see customized maps and overlays with places and points of interest.

However, Google Maps for Android does display information about businesses and points of interest. For instance, when the name of a restaurant appears on a map, you can click it to access more information, read user reviews, and get contact details. The new Places feature in Google Maps for Android offers a quick link to information about special places.

Tap on the Navigation icon in Google Maps and you'll be able to see 3D maps and live traffic information. Moving around in Street View is a wonderful experience. It's linked to the Android compass, meaning that as you move and tilt the phone, the view changes with it.

It's hard to pick faults in Google Maps, but we would point out that it has a tendency to hog system resources, especially if you have many layers running at once. Be sure to kill the process when you're not using Google Maps or your battery meter will soon start shrinking.

What's new in Google Maps 8.0.0

The latest update to Google Maps for Android brings with it some interesting and helpful new features. Perhaps the biggest highlight is turn-by-turn navigation. Featuring lane assistance, the navigation feature shows you distance and estimated arrival time, and gives you access to alternative routes.

Google Maps 8.0.0 allows you save maps offline and manage them from an easy-to-access list. The app also improves transit results, showing you the total walking time of your tripe and when the next bus or train is.

The popular app, Uber, has been integrated into the app and can be opened within Google Maps when comparing routes.

An amazing maps app

Google Maps is currently the easiest and most effective way to find your way around using your Android phone.

Download Google Maps 8.1.0