Google adds sat nav for walkers on Android
Specially designed for the lost pedestrian in us all
Google has announced it will be bringing out Google Maps 4.5 for Android today, complete with satellite navigation for walkers.
Speaking at a small Google Mobile event in London, Hugo Barra, director of products for mobile at Google announced that the new update will be available in 'just a few hours'.
Google wanted to offer walkers the same free and easy way to find their ways around cities that cars are afforded, and has come up with a number of feet-friendly features:
"We had the idea that people are now navigating using Google Maps, getting turn by turn navigation in your car, so now we're launching a walking version of that."
Hilly
"The new version of Google Maps will choose routes that are pedestrian only, such as not going down very hilly roads if there's an easy way to get around.
"It will also turn on satellite view automatically, which is really helpful for getting your bearings so you can know what's around immediately.
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"You can also mute navigation voice guidance; sometimes you might not want Google telling you to turn left when on the street, so you can turn it right down, and it will vibrate every time you need to look at it and get a new instruction."
Enhance!
Google will also be bringing new features to Streetview on the mobile, where 3D animations and interaction will be offered.
Users can zoom around the map by clicking on almost any part of the picture, and it will zoom there in a much slicker way than before.
Android lovers can search for the new update in a few hours, so keep your eyes peeled for Google Maps 4.5 on your handset.
Gareth has been part of the consumer technology world in a career spanning three decades. He started life as a staff writer on the fledgling TechRadar, and has grew with the site (primarily as phones, tablets and wearables editor) until becoming Global Editor in Chief in 2018. Gareth has written over 4,000 articles for TechRadar, has contributed expert insight to a number of other publications, chaired panels on zeitgeist technologies, presented at the Gadget Show Live as well as representing the brand on TV and radio for multiple channels including Sky, BBC, ITV and Al-Jazeera. Passionate about fitness, he can bore anyone rigid about stress management, sleep tracking, heart rate variance as well as bemoaning something about the latest iPhone, Galaxy or OLED TV.