Google has taken the leap of connecting Android and Google Maps to come up with a great directions tool.
Google demonstrated their new vision for Mobile Maps for the press on Oct 27th at the Google office in Mountain View. The demo, which revealed a new navigational dimension to Mobile Maps, was performed with Verizon’s new Android 2.0 Motorola ‘Droid’ phone.
Google announced that the turn-by-turn navigation feature for Mobile Maps currently will only work on Android 2.0 smartphones; when queries arose as to whether or when other devices such as the G1, MyTouch3G and other non-Android 2.0 phones will be able to upgrade, Vic Gundotra (Vice President of Engineering, Google) said that will be up to the individual Android carriers. According to a separate report, additional types of smartphones should also be able to upgrade and access this feature from Google.
Gundotra preceded the demonstration by providing background information about Google Mobile Maps; subsequent to its launch in 2005, there have been billions of downloads. Gundotra said that the new feature was added as the navigational function most commonly requested by the nearly fifty million ‘active’ users globally.
This feature, with its potential for combination with other Google functions (search assets, voice interface and other Maps features) threatens the current kings of GPS navigation – subscription based companies such as Gorman will find it difficult to compete with the free, readily available app.
Users can access the function easily and may search manually or by voice in English on Google Navigation – this is simple given the Quick Search Box provided on the home screen of Android devices. Users can also carry out regular searches via mobile search, then request turn-by-turn directions to their destination through Google Navigation.