Offline-Maps-GoogleGoogle has announced that the latest version of Google Maps for Android has an improved offline mode, providing access to turn-by-turn directions and several other features in areas without a reliable cellular data or internet connection. It also confirmed these features will be coming soon to iOS, but did not provide a specific release timeframe.

Google Maps was previously limited to viewing maps while offline, but this update will enable iPhone users to navigate with turn-by-turn driving directions, search for specific destinations and look up information about places, including hours of operation, contact information and ratings, while offline.

Now you can download an area of the world to your phone, and the next time you find there’s no connectivity—whether it’s a country road or an underground parking garage—Google Maps will continue to work seamlessly. Whereas before you could simply view an area of the map offline, now you can get turn-by-turn driving directions, search for specific destinations, and find useful information about places, like hours of operation, contact information or ratings.

Google previewed Offline Maps at Google I/O in May, and will be gradually rolling out the new features to Android and iOS users.

Top Rated Comments

tintifax3k Avatar
131 months ago
This will be awesome for people like me who travel abroad and can download Maps beforehand!
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
taptic Avatar
131 months ago
Microsoft's here app has been doing this rather well for the past couple of months now. 5 gb download for turn by turn, completely offline directions in the United States. And it has maps for almost everywhere, not just the US.

Of course I'll be happy to see which provides more information along with the maps etc.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
err404 Avatar
131 months ago
Apple Maps is going to be forever playing catch up, it seems. Apple should've just started paying the royalty to Google several years ago instead of being cocky and stubborn by deciding to go it alone. Heck, Apple is still trying to roll out transit directions and is doing so at a slow pace.
It was never about being cocky or stubborn. It was about Google wanting access to user data that Apple wouldn't hand over. Google thought they had Apple over the barrel, but Apple ramped up their own maps and dropped Google. It's just business. Apple's model has always been to avoid being dependent upon any single vendor. Tim always has a back out plan.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Good User Name Avatar
131 months ago
Apple Maps is going to be forever playing catch up, it seems. Apple should've just started paying the royalty to Google several years ago instead of being cocky and stubborn by deciding to go it alone. Heck, Apple is still trying to roll out transit directions and is doing so at a slow pace.
Apple stopped using Google for mapping because it was cocky, stubborn, and didn't want to pay a royalty? What's the source for that info?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GenesisST Avatar
131 months ago
Two years ago I bought TomTom for US and Canada for this exact purpose. Would love to get rid of 2GB, but then again, I have a 128GB iP6 about half-full... OCD much?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maxsix Avatar
131 months ago
It was never about being cocky or stubborn. It was about Google wanting access to user data that Apple wouldn't hand over. Google thought they had Apple over the barrel, but Apple ramped up their own maps and dropped Google. It's just business. Apple's model has always been to avoid being dependent upon any single vendor. Tim always has a back out plan.
That's a terrific warm and fuzzy story suggesting that Apple is on high. At the top of the mountain looking down on "their people" ... protecting them, Apples keeping them safe from harm.

A vast number of iPhone users actually believe this. They believe the Apple corporation is not like the rest, that Apple is not hyper focused on fat profits (as all corporations rightly do ) but more concerned with protecting their flock.

With a pile of evidence so high you can't see over it (our cash) the faithful sing Apples praises. A very impressive demonstration of the power and control of the late Steve Jobs.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Early Black Friday Deals 1

The Best Early Black Friday Apple Deals on AirPods, Apple Watch, iPad, and More

Saturday November 8, 2025 6:16 am PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
2024 iPhone Boxes Feature

Apple Adjusts Trade-In Values for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and More

Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store. The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump. ...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

Apple to Hide Selfie Camera Under Display of 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday November 10, 2025 1:55 am PST by
Apple will conceal the front-facing camera under the screen of its 2027 iPhone, a Chinese leaker said today, corroborating reports that Apple's 20th anniversary iPhone will have no visible cutouts in the display. Weibo-based account Digital Chat Station said Apple's development of under-screen camera technology was progressing as planned for adoption in 2027, one year after it will...
m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
Apple fitness plus feature

Future of Apple Fitness+ 'Under Review'

Sunday November 9, 2025 5:30 am PST by
The future of Apple Fitness+ is "under review" amid a reorganization of the service, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple Fitness+ remains one of the company's "weakest digital offerings." The service apparently suffers from high churn and little revenue. Nevertheless, Fitness+ has a small, loyal fanbase that...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...
Liquid Glass General Feature

Apple Shares Liquid Glass Design Gallery

Thursday November 6, 2025 2:45 pm PST by
Apple is promoting the new Liquid Glass design in iOS 26, showing off the ways that third-party developers are embracing the aesthetic in their apps. On its developer website, Apple is featuring a visual gallery that demonstrates how "teams of all sizes" are creating Liquid Glass experiences. The gallery features examples of Liquid Glass in apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. Apple...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Available Now With These 8 New Features

Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more. Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features. Liquid Glass Toggle iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass. In the Settings app, under Display...
iPhone Satellite Feature

Apple Developing These 5 New Satellite Features for iPhone

Sunday November 9, 2025 6:07 am PST by
Apple is working on a series of new satellite connectivity features for the iPhone, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In this week's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman revealed that the new features in development include: Apple Maps via satellite: Navigation in Apple Maps without cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. Photos in Messages via satellite: Support for sending photos in the Messages...
maxresdefault

In-Depth iPhone Battery Experiment Pits Slow Charging Against Fast Charging

Friday November 7, 2025 1:19 pm PST by
HTX Studio this week shared the results from a six-month battery test that compared how fast charging and slow charging can affect battery life over time. Using six iPhone 12 models, the channel set up a system to drain the batteries from five percent and charge them to 100 percent over and over again. Three were fast charged, and three were slow charged. Another set of iPhones underwent...