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Google Maps for Android Once Again Malfunctioning, the Switch to Waze Now Very Tempting

Not everybody out there uses Google Maps on Android Auto or CarPlay, as some users just run the app on their mobile devices when driving.
Google Maps on Android 6 photos
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Thanks to phone holders that are very often installed in the air vent, it’s therefore really convenient to use Google Maps for navigation without losing too much from the experience you get on a larger screen.

The voice navigation is still there, and Google Maps can help you with guidance either through the phone’s speakers or using the audio system in the car.

However, it turns out a recent update has made the whole thing rather buggy, as users running Google Maps on Android devices claim the voice navigation on the mobile device is lost when the Bluetooth connection is established.

Some Google Maps users still want to get voice navigation via their phone's speakers, even when the mobile device is connected to Bluetooth. And this is perfectly fine, as Google Maps supports this configuration as well.

But a recent update has reportedly made it impossible to use the app with navigation guidance on the mobile device.

I have an MY 2021 car and voice prompts were working fine when my phone was connected until the last update. I didn't change any settings anywhere. It was the update that killed the voice prompts,” one user explains on the forums.

The most recent Android and Google Maps updates haven't improved the experience, and the glitch still occurs for the users who noticed it last month.

At this point, no workaround is known to exist and given some blame for an operating system update, there's not much you can do. However, if a Google Maps update broke down the whole thing for you, the best option is to just downgrade the app to an earlier release using the stand-alone APK installer. Of course, you can always make the switch to another app, such as Waze, until Google comes up with a patch.

Google hasn’t yet acknowledged the issue, so nobody knows if a fix is coming or not.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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