Google Maps’ New Offline Features Make It Easier To Get Around Without Data

If you’re travelling abroad where your phone may not work, or you just don’t like using all of your data on the go, Google Maps has you covered. Two new features today will help you get around town even if you don’t have service.

Google Maps already lets you save map areas offline so you can browse them or get directions without data, but today’s update lets you choose to store that data on internal storage or an SD card, which is great if you have a phone with limited internal storage that you’ve expanded. Additionally, you can now tell Google Maps to use Wi-Fi only. If you’re travelling somewhere with expensive data, this can be a life (and wallet) saver.

Finally, when Google Maps got Uber integration a few months back, it was only the beginning: Now you can compare fares for multiple ride services in your area, and if you’re travelling abroad, you’ll see fares for ride sharing services relevant to your location. Google notes in their blog post (linked below):

In addition to showing options from Uber, we’re now showing GO-JEK rides in three cities in Indonesia with ten more cities coming soon (Android, rolling out on iOS) and Grab rides in 24 cities throughout Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand (Android, rolling out on iOS). We’ve also expanded the availability of Gett, Hailo, and MyTaxi in select cities across Ireland, Poland, Italy, Austria, Russia, and Israel (Android, iOS).

For more on all of today’s Google Maps news, hit the link below. The updates should be rolling out to users slowly, so be patient if you haven’t gotten the update just yet.

Get around town a little easier with new offline features and ride service options [Google Maps Blog]