Rita El Khoury / Android Authority
Google has formally introduced the rollout of offline maps in Google Maps on Put on OS watches, together with the Pixel Watch 1 and a pair of, OnePlus Watch, current Galaxy Watches, and extra. The characteristic has been slowly trickling for a few weeks, however it ought to now be out there to everybody and I feel you must put it to good use straight away, identical to I did earlier than packing for a 10-day journey to Albania.
The reality is that nobody plans to be misplaced in unfamiliar areas with no connection, however surprising issues do occur on the most surprising of instances. I prefer to be ready, and since I stay in a comparatively new nation and prefer to journey to much more unfamiliar locations, I depend on Google Maps lots to information me round. I additionally at all times obtain the offline map of my present metropolis to my telephone, simply in case I’m in an space with a spotty connection. However what occurs when the telephone’s battery runs out? Properly, offline maps on smartwatches come to the rescue!
When your telephone is out of attain or its battery is lifeless, having a backup offline map might be very helpful — even on a tiny show.
If the characteristic is accessible to you, you’ll see a discover the second you open the Maps app in your watch. Go forward and scroll down, previous the current searches, and to the underside of the choices. Proper above Settings, you’ll see a brand new Offline maps menu. Opening that reveals a brand new display screen the place you’ll be able to handle your offline maps.
By default, nothing is downloaded to your watch, and the app explains that you could first handle offline maps in your Android telephone. So that you begin by downloading an space on Google Maps in your telephone and when you do, you’ll see that map pop up as downloadable on the watch, identical to you see with the Albania map beneath.
Faucet to obtain, faucet the checkmark, and also you’ll see the obtain progress. If it’s a giant map, you may need to go away your watch on a charger inside your Wi-Fi community to hurry up the method and keep away from losing battery life. As soon as the obtain is full, you’ll see the map’s full measurement together with a checkmark subsequent to it.
Now, you’ll be able to faucet that map once more to delete it or simply go away it’s and return to the primary Maps app. In my expertise, downloaded maps load a lot sooner on the watch once I needed to browse round and, as you’ll be able to see within the two screenshots beneath, they do work offline (stricken cloud icon on high).
Throughout my 10 days in Albania, I used to be ready to make use of the map even when my telephone was away or disconnected. I might zoom out and in as a lot as I needed, proper right down to avenue degree, test my environment in Shkoder, seek for locations in Tirana, and get driving instructions in Vlore. Having that gave me a bit of additional peace of thoughts, understanding that I might return to my lodge even when my Pixel 9 Professional XL‘s battery collapsed underneath the stress of 1,000,000 day by day pictures of the attractive Albanian panorama.
The constraints listed below are just like offline Google Maps on the telephone. You don’t see rankings or opinions; you’ll be able to’t get strolling, transit, or biking instructions; and there aren’t any visitors updates when driving. I do perceive the limitation behind a few of these — rankings or opinions would take a number of house, whereas transit and visitors require stay updates — however I’m nonetheless a bit miffed that I can’t get primary strolling or biking instructions when offline. It shouldn’t require an web connection to inform me tips on how to stroll from level A to level B.
Nonetheless, if you happen to depend on Maps in your on a regular basis life, it is a welcome bonus and a nifty trick — even on a tiny show — to be sure to have a backup plan when your telephone is out of attain, or its battery is lifeless.