Photo: reddit user sohailwahabhotmail
Not everybody uses Google Maps on CarPlay and Android Auto, and there’s a chance that a big part of the app’s userbase is still made from people running it on smartphones.
This means that Google Maps should be fully optimized for the smartphone, and for the most part, it really is. But on the other hand, it doesn’t necessarily mean that everything is perfect, and Google has nothing to improve in the way users interact with Google Maps on their mobile devices.
In fact, someone on reddit has proposed a very small change that has received hundreds of upvotes. The search box, along with the quick searches for work, restaurants, gas stations, groceries, and similar points of interest, should all be moved to the lower part of the screen.
This means users would be able to reach them with their thumb much easier, especially on phones with large screens – the new iPhone 12 Pro Max, for example, comes with a 6.7-inch display, so imagine how hard it is to reach the search box with just one hand when it’s placed at the top of the screen.
But at the same time, whether or not Google should make Google Maps easier to use with one hand is totally debatable, as some think that in most of the cases, you are supposed to set up navigation when both hands are free anyway. This means that using the phone with one hand isn’t something you should do while driving, biking, or walking, as starring at the screen can cause distraction.
In the meantime, this is just a proposed change, and it remains to be seen if Google actually takes it into consideration for its upcoming Google Maps update. For those having a hard time using Google Maps with just one hand, they can always turn to voice commands, which could come in handy especially when driving.
In fact, someone on reddit has proposed a very small change that has received hundreds of upvotes. The search box, along with the quick searches for work, restaurants, gas stations, groceries, and similar points of interest, should all be moved to the lower part of the screen.
This means users would be able to reach them with their thumb much easier, especially on phones with large screens – the new iPhone 12 Pro Max, for example, comes with a 6.7-inch display, so imagine how hard it is to reach the search box with just one hand when it’s placed at the top of the screen.
But at the same time, whether or not Google should make Google Maps easier to use with one hand is totally debatable, as some think that in most of the cases, you are supposed to set up navigation when both hands are free anyway. This means that using the phone with one hand isn’t something you should do while driving, biking, or walking, as starring at the screen can cause distraction.
In the meantime, this is just a proposed change, and it remains to be seen if Google actually takes it into consideration for its upcoming Google Maps update. For those having a hard time using Google Maps with just one hand, they can always turn to voice commands, which could come in handy especially when driving.
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