Google Maps for Android gets offline mode

SEARCH ENGINE GIANT Google has unveiled a revamped app for Android devices, enabling users to get directions while offline.

Ideal for planning your journey when underground, the re-jigged Google Maps app for Android lets users save a local area for getting directions without access to a network or WiFi connection.

Speaking at the San Francisco event, Rita Chen, product manager of Google Maps for mobilem said the incoming app means there’s no longer for a need for paper maps, as if a users handset is GPS enabled, Google Maps will still navigate with its trusty blue dot. Users will also be able to zoom into the area of Google Maps that have been downloaded enabling users to identify street names.

At today’s event Google also announced improvements to Street View, and a more detailed three-dimensional Google Earth Map.

The launch of Google’s new mapping app comes just days ahead of Apple’s WWDC keynote, where the firm is likely to announce plans to drop Google Maps in IOS 6 in favour of its own proprietary service. However, it seems the two companies are still on speaking terms, as Google announced that its updated Google Earth app will be available on the Iphone in “coming weeks”. µ