Google has formally introduced the rollout of offline maps in Google Maps on Wear OS watches, together with the Pixel Watch 1 and a couple of, OnePlus Watch, fresh Galaxy Watches, and extra. The function has been slowly trickling for a few weeks, nevertheless it will have to now be to be had to everybody and I believe you will have to put it to just right use in an instant, identical to I did prior to packing for a 10-day shuttle to Albania.
The fact is that no person plans to be misplaced in unfamiliar spaces with out a connection, however sudden issues do occur on the maximum sudden of instances. I love to be ready, and because I are living in a reasonably new nation and love to commute to much more unfamiliar puts, I depend on Google Maps so much to steer me round. I additionally all the time obtain the offline map of my present town to my telephone, simply in case I’m in a space with a spotty connection. But what occurs when the telephone’s battery runs out? Well, offline maps on smartwatches come to the rescue!
When your telephone is out of succeed in or its battery is lifeless, having a backup offline map can also be very at hand — even on a tiny show.
If the function is to be had to you, you’ll see a realize the instant you open the Maps app for your watch. Go forward and scroll down, previous the hot searches, and to the ground of the choices. Right above Settings, you’ll see a brand new Offline maps menu. Opening that finds a brand new display screen the place you’ll set up your offline maps.
By default, not anything is downloaded for your watch, and the app explains that you want to first set up offline maps for your Android telephone. So you get started through downloading a space on Google Maps for your telephone and if you do, you’ll see that map pop up as downloadable at the watch, identical to you notice with the Albania map underneath.
Tap to obtain, faucet the checkmark, and also you’ll see the obtain development. If it’s a large map, you may wish to go away your watch on a charger inside of your Wi-Fi community to hurry up the method and steer clear of losing battery existence. Once the obtain is entire, you’ll see the map’s complete dimension together with a checkmark subsequent to it.
Now, you’ll faucet that map once more to delete it or simply go away or not it’s and return to the principle Maps app. In my enjoy, downloaded maps load a lot quicker at the watch once I sought after to browse round and, as you’ll see within the two screenshots underneath, they do paintings offline (troubled cloud icon on best).
During my 10 days in Albania, I used to be in a position to make use of the map even if my telephone used to be away or disconnected. I may just zoom out and in up to I sought after, proper right down to side road degree, test my atmosphere in Shkoder, seek for puts in Tirana, and get using instructions in Vlore. Having that gave me a little of additional peace of thoughts, realizing that I may just go back to my resort despite the fact that my Pixel 9 Pro XL‘s battery collapsed beneath the tension of 1,000,000 day by day pictures of the pretty Albanian panorama.
The boundaries listed below are very similar to offline Google Maps at the telephone. You don’t see rankings or critiques; you’ll’t get strolling, transit, or cycling instructions; and there are not any site visitors updates when using. I do perceive the limitation at the back of a few of these — rankings or critiques would take a large number of area, whilst transit and site visitors require are living updates — however I’m nonetheless a little miffed that I will be able to’t get fundamental strolling or cycling instructions when offline. It shouldn’t require an web connection to inform me find out how to stroll from level A to indicate B.
Still, in case you depend on Maps to your on a regular basis existence, this can be a welcome bonus and a nifty trick — even on a tiny show — to you’ll want to have a backup plan when your telephone is out of succeed in, or its battery is lifeless.
