Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google
Google Maps is the world's most popular mobile navigation app, so every little issue can eventually impact millions of users, wreaking havoc in their cars.
One of the most recent widespread problems affecting Google Maps has plagued Xiaomi phones since the release of MIUI 14, causing the app to lose GPS tracking and fail to determine users' locations.
The glitch was reported earlier this month (though similar complaints reached the web a few months ago), indicating that the Google Maps calibration no longer works correctly, leading to other location problems on Xiaomi devices.
Most often, Google Maps doesn't determine the user's location, with the blue indicator jumping on the screen randomly. The application struggles to begin navigation and provides incorrect guidance, as it thinks the user is located on a different street.
The generic workarounds for Android users failed to bring things back to normal. Users said the issue persisted after downgrading to an earlier Google Maps version and deleting the app's cache and data made no difference. The location problem resided in the operating system, with users claiming the behavior was introduced with MIUI 14. Google Maps worked correctly on the previous version of the operating system.
Now it looks like Xiaomi has managed to address the problem with a patch included in the latest version of MIUI. You must install MIUI 14.0.4.0 on your smartphone to get it, with Google Maps to correctly determine the location afterward. No further action is required; updating the device is all it takes to bring things back to normal.
Location problems in Google Maps could also result from incorrect permissions on the Android device. Users must double-check that Google Maps has access to the phone location, determining where they are and providing accurate turn-by-turn directions.
In the meantime, Google keeps polishing Google Maps, rolling out subtle changes with every update. Most recently, Google updated the gas station shortcut on Android Auto to show charging stations in electric vehicles. The change makes sense when an electric vehicle profile is configured in Google Maps, pointing drivers to charging stations instead of gas stations that are useless for such vehicles.
The update is live only on Android Auto, but I expect the search giant to start rolling it out to mobile devices and CarPlay in the next few weeks.
Google is also updating the way voice commands work in Google Maps. Instead of saying "McDonald's" to navigate to the closest restaurant, Google Maps now requires users to say "navigate to McDonald's" or "directions to McDonald's" for the same operation. Sticking with the location's name now prompts Google Maps to display additional information about it, with one extra tap required to begin turn-by-turn guidance to its address.
The glitch was reported earlier this month (though similar complaints reached the web a few months ago), indicating that the Google Maps calibration no longer works correctly, leading to other location problems on Xiaomi devices.
Most often, Google Maps doesn't determine the user's location, with the blue indicator jumping on the screen randomly. The application struggles to begin navigation and provides incorrect guidance, as it thinks the user is located on a different street.
The generic workarounds for Android users failed to bring things back to normal. Users said the issue persisted after downgrading to an earlier Google Maps version and deleting the app's cache and data made no difference. The location problem resided in the operating system, with users claiming the behavior was introduced with MIUI 14. Google Maps worked correctly on the previous version of the operating system.
Now it looks like Xiaomi has managed to address the problem with a patch included in the latest version of MIUI. You must install MIUI 14.0.4.0 on your smartphone to get it, with Google Maps to correctly determine the location afterward. No further action is required; updating the device is all it takes to bring things back to normal.
Location problems in Google Maps could also result from incorrect permissions on the Android device. Users must double-check that Google Maps has access to the phone location, determining where they are and providing accurate turn-by-turn directions.
In the meantime, Google keeps polishing Google Maps, rolling out subtle changes with every update. Most recently, Google updated the gas station shortcut on Android Auto to show charging stations in electric vehicles. The change makes sense when an electric vehicle profile is configured in Google Maps, pointing drivers to charging stations instead of gas stations that are useless for such vehicles.
The update is live only on Android Auto, but I expect the search giant to start rolling it out to mobile devices and CarPlay in the next few weeks.
Google is also updating the way voice commands work in Google Maps. Instead of saying "McDonald's" to navigate to the closest restaurant, Google Maps now requires users to say "navigate to McDonald's" or "directions to McDonald's" for the same operation. Sticking with the location's name now prompts Google Maps to display additional information about it, with one extra tap required to begin turn-by-turn guidance to its address.
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