Google promised that a refreshed version of Maps would be coming to Android back at Google I/O, bringing the navigation system more in line with the design of the revamped iOS app. The company has finally delivered on that promise, as it has now begun to roll out the new Google Maps for Android to devices running Ice Cream Sandwich and above.
Just as expected, a visual refresh is the main new feature. Google has opted to tidy things up, hiding the controls normally found at the bottom of the screen in favour of a slide out menu found to the right. Fonts are also cleaner in general, and the whole aesthetic matches what the company has been using recently with products like Google Now and Google Glass.
There are one or two new navigation features too. Google says that Maps will now alert you to live traffic updates and incident reports. The app will even dynamically reroute your journey accordingly if it detects any problems on the one already programmed in. Not only that, but Maps for Android tablets has seen the same revamp, bringing a card-like interface not unlike Google Now.
The update seems to be rolling out gradually to Android devices through the Play Store, so keep checking back. if you’re really impatient, though, you can go ahead and grab the new Maps APK from Android Police.
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