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Google Maps for Android Starts Mixing Up Words, And This Is a Bug, Not a Feature

Google Maps is many people’s favorite travel companion, and it’s all for a very good reason: the app helps them reach a specific destination faster, more conveniently, and safer by simply providing directions on which way to go until they get there.
Google Maps now mixing up words on Android 1 photo
Photo: Google
But on the other hand, it’s not a secret that some features bundled with Google Maps could sometimes malfunction, turning the navigation experience into, well, a more challenging mission.

This is what’s happening lately for some users, as Google Maps has suddenly started mispronouncing words, therefore making it pretty hard to figure out what it’s saying.

Some people describe the whole thing as childish, while others believe it’s funny, though it’s very important to emphasize this isn’t by any means a feature but only a bug that Google is allegedly already aware of.

A discussion thread on Google’s forums reveals that Google Maps now says ooze instead of use, ovenue instead of avenue, and ontorio instead of Ontario, all for a reason that nobody has managed to figure out. At the first glance, there’s a chance Google Maps mixes French with English, but others say the application sounds like it’s using an Indian accent.

The problem reportedly showed up after a recent update, but it’s not clear if downgrading to a previous release fixes the whole thing. It happens exclusively on Android, so theoretically, it’s plaguing Android Auto as well.

The fixes that users have turned to include clearing the cache, signing in and out, restarting the phone, changing the default languages and so on, but of course, nothing seems to be doing the trick.

A Google community member says the issue has already been reported to Google, but for the time being, we don’t know if a fix is being worked on or not. For now, users are all alone in their attempt to figure out what exactly is happening in Google Maps.
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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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