Photo: Google forums
Google Maps has evolved to become an all-in-one mapping platform with a wide range of non-navigation features, and this should be the main indication that the search giant has no intention of merging it with Waze.
However, as Google Maps evolves, some features originally bundled with the app no longer make sense. This is the case with review drafts, which will be deprecated in July.
The company has started emailing users about a forthcoming change that will take place on July 16. The support for review drafts will be pulled, and while Google did not share more specifics about the reason for this removal, I believe the low usage is the culprit.
Many people didn't even know they could save their reviews before submitting them, and most users typically typed a review and sent it in one go. Review drafts landed in Google Maps in 2018, so after six years, Google determined the feature wouldn't take off, so removing it was the best option to keep things tidy and organized.
The company explains that the existing drafts will be removed once this feature goes dark. This is why you should publish all your ongoing reviews by July 16; otherwise, they'll be lost forever. Google also allows users to download existing draft reviews before the July 16 deadline.
Meanwhile, Google also keeps refining Google Maps on other fronts. For example, the experience with the app is getting further improvements on Android Auto, where Google Maps now allows users to save the parking location and display 3D buildings according to the settings on the mobile device.
The Android version of the app is also getting subtle polishing, and Google promised to restyle the bar at the bottom for more convenient and straightforward navigation. It didn't share other specifics, but Google Maps will soon be easier to use on mobile devices.
The competition in the mapping world includes more big names, as Apple Maps is now catching up with Google Maps. The Apple Car demise gave Apple no option but to become fully committed to improving Apple Maps, so the application received offline maps in the latest major iOS update. Later this year, Apple Maps will add support for custom routes, allowing users to configure routes on their MacBooks and send them to Apple Maps running on their iPhones. Similar functionality already exists in Google Maps, but Apple wants to reduce the feature gap between the two apps, especially as software and services have become its only way to expand in the automotive space.
We'll hear more about Google's and Apple's plans in the mapping space in the coming months, as both companies will hold their annual developer events where they typically unveil new capabilities for their products.
The company has started emailing users about a forthcoming change that will take place on July 16. The support for review drafts will be pulled, and while Google did not share more specifics about the reason for this removal, I believe the low usage is the culprit.
Many people didn't even know they could save their reviews before submitting them, and most users typically typed a review and sent it in one go. Review drafts landed in Google Maps in 2018, so after six years, Google determined the feature wouldn't take off, so removing it was the best option to keep things tidy and organized.
The company explains that the existing drafts will be removed once this feature goes dark. This is why you should publish all your ongoing reviews by July 16; otherwise, they'll be lost forever. Google also allows users to download existing draft reviews before the July 16 deadline.
Meanwhile, Google also keeps refining Google Maps on other fronts. For example, the experience with the app is getting further improvements on Android Auto, where Google Maps now allows users to save the parking location and display 3D buildings according to the settings on the mobile device.
The Android version of the app is also getting subtle polishing, and Google promised to restyle the bar at the bottom for more convenient and straightforward navigation. It didn't share other specifics, but Google Maps will soon be easier to use on mobile devices.
The competition in the mapping world includes more big names, as Apple Maps is now catching up with Google Maps. The Apple Car demise gave Apple no option but to become fully committed to improving Apple Maps, so the application received offline maps in the latest major iOS update. Later this year, Apple Maps will add support for custom routes, allowing users to configure routes on their MacBooks and send them to Apple Maps running on their iPhones. Similar functionality already exists in Google Maps, but Apple wants to reduce the feature gap between the two apps, especially as software and services have become its only way to expand in the automotive space.
We'll hear more about Google's and Apple's plans in the mapping space in the coming months, as both companies will hold their annual developer events where they typically unveil new capabilities for their products.
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