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While Google Maps is evolving substantially in terms of functionality, as the Mountain View-based search giant is adding new features and additional polishing with every new update, there are also several things that need to be fixed within the app.
And one of the most recent problems discovered by users concerns the way Google Maps handles the links users load on their mobile devices in an attempt to start the navigation on Android Auto.
Here’s some background. Google Maps allows users to open links on their mobile devices, configure the app to provide guidance to a certain destination, and then start the navigation on Android Auto.
This way, the experience overall is much more straightforward, especially when receiving the Google Maps links on apps that don’t have a dedicated UI on Android Auto, as it’s the case with messaging apps. For example, if someone sends you a Google Maps link on WhatsApp, you can just tap it, start the navigation, and get the guidance right on Android Auto.
Users discovered recently that this functionality has been broken, and many blamed a recent update for the whole thing. No workaround has been discovered so far, and while the glitch overall has apparently become even more widespread, it looks like the search giant has quietly resolved the problem.
In the last few days, I’ve come across several user reports indicating the glitch is no longer occurring after installing version 11.11.2 on their Android devices. And some people who posted in this long discussion thread on Google forums indeed confirm Google Maps is now working properly on Android Auto and the links are handled correctly.
For some reason, not everybody seems to be getting the fix, so maybe Google only shipped a patch as an experimental release before it gets ready for broad availability.
I have reached out to Google for additional information on this mysterious Google Maps update and will circle back with more details rather sooner than later.
Here’s some background. Google Maps allows users to open links on their mobile devices, configure the app to provide guidance to a certain destination, and then start the navigation on Android Auto.
This way, the experience overall is much more straightforward, especially when receiving the Google Maps links on apps that don’t have a dedicated UI on Android Auto, as it’s the case with messaging apps. For example, if someone sends you a Google Maps link on WhatsApp, you can just tap it, start the navigation, and get the guidance right on Android Auto.
Users discovered recently that this functionality has been broken, and many blamed a recent update for the whole thing. No workaround has been discovered so far, and while the glitch overall has apparently become even more widespread, it looks like the search giant has quietly resolved the problem.
In the last few days, I’ve come across several user reports indicating the glitch is no longer occurring after installing version 11.11.2 on their Android devices. And some people who posted in this long discussion thread on Google forums indeed confirm Google Maps is now working properly on Android Auto and the links are handled correctly.
For some reason, not everybody seems to be getting the fix, so maybe Google only shipped a patch as an experimental release before it gets ready for broad availability.
I have reached out to Google for additional information on this mysterious Google Maps update and will circle back with more details rather sooner than later.
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