An important update to Google Maps has started to be rolled out by Google with the goal of enhancing overall usability and simplifying navigation on iOS and Android smartphones. These modifications show Google’s continued focus on improving the Maps experience, especially through interface design and more user-friendly instructions, even though the company still keeps Waze as a supplementary navigation option.
Version 25.49 of Google Maps brings a revamped settings menu that many users have been requesting. The old menu structure had grown disorganized over time, with settings being added sporadically and little thought given to visual coherence or organization. As a result, there was a bewildering array of choices, uneven design components, and trouble finding particular settings.
By dividing options into six primary categories—app and display, navigation, vehicles, location and privacy, offline maps, and notifications—the new layout tackles these problems. With the addition of icons and clear labeling for each section, it is now simpler to locate and access pertinent options. The menu is made even easier to navigate with the addition of a new close button in the top corner.
The improved design coherence between Google Maps’ iOS and Android versions is another significant update feature. In the past, Android users criticized the iOS version because it had a cleaner interface. Since this update, there are only slight variations between the two platforms—such as iOS’s submenu indicators—in terms of structure and visual organization.
Along with the menu redesign, Google Maps is also implementing navigation instructions based on landmarks. The app can now consult familiar places along the route, like nearby shops or gas stations, rather than depending only on distance-based directions. Users might hear directions like “turn right after the bakery” instead of “turn right in 150 meters,” for instance. These landmarks are also highlighted visually on the map as users approach them.
By minimizing the need to continuously check the screen, this method aims to make navigation safer and easier, especially when driving. Regardless of the installed app version, it might take a few weeks before all users get the new features, as the update is being rolled out gradually.
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