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This Navigation App Teaches Google Maps an Offline Maps Lesson

Google Maps already comes with support for offline maps, but an alternative navigation app offers a more convenient approach to download and manage data.
Sygic GPS Navigation offline maps 9 photos
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
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Google Maps has evolved to become an all-in-one mapping service. It includes not only navigation features but also more advanced capabilities, such as busyness information, reviews, immersive view, and street-level imagery via Street View.

Its navigation component remains a key feature for drivers, especially as the app includes offline map support.

The way Google has integrated offline maps in Google Maps leaves a lot to be desired, and the feature hasn’t received any improvements in the last few years.

Why offline maps are important

The main benefit produced by offline maps is highlighted by their name. With this feature, users can find addresses and get route guidance without the need for an Internet connection.

Offline maps, therefore, allow for offline navigation in a way that reminds nostalgic drivers of traditional GPS devices.

The available options have improved significantly in the meantime, so offline maps come with additional functionality for drivers.

In Google Maps, however, the application does not provide traffic information, lane guidance, and alternate routes.

Sygic GPS Navigation offline maps
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution

How to download offline maps in Google Maps

Given Google Maps’ gigantic user base, you’d expect the app to come with a straightforward way to download offline maps.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t. Users need to define the area they want to download by selecting it on the map. This option comes with frustrating area limitations, and in the case of larger countries, you must repeat the process several times. This is because selecting a full country at once isn’t possible, as the selection only allows for a smaller region.

Offline maps in Google Maps are updated automatically when the application launches and a Wi-Fi connection is found.

The map update can also take place in the background, as long as Google Maps is still running.

How Sygic GPS Navigation does it better

Sygic GPS Navigation is a Google Maps alternative that also packs offline maps support.

This time, the parent company has tried to make the download process more straightforward. Unlike in Google Maps, users can simply select the country whose offline maps they want to download. If you live in Denmark and plan to navigate without an Internet connection, select this country and the app will download the full maps for your country.

Sygic GPS Navigation offline maps
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
The same steps can be used for any country where the application is available. Users can also download offline maps for several countries, as long as there’s enough storage space on their devices.

This particularly comes in handy when traveling abroad. By downloading the offline maps covering the countries where you plan to go, Sygic provides users with uninterrupted navigation. In Google Maps, you’d have to plan the journey more thoroughly, as you must manually download the offline maps according to your route.

Then, Sygic also makes the map updating process more convenient.

You can download updates using Wi-Fi or cellular connections. If you have an unlimited mobile data plan, the latter option is recommended, as you’ll get the new map updates the moment they are uploaded to the server.

Otherwise, you should just stick with the Wi-Fi option and use the Internet connection at home for map updates. The download should be faster as well.

Sygic GPS Navigation offline maps
Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution
The application would need more automatic download options. For instance, users should be allowed to choose if they want the new map updates to be downloaded automatically. A notification system for new map versions should also be implemented, letting users know when updates are available for download.

Additionally, map updates should support a download scheduling option to let users get the new versions at a more convenient time. As such, the new maps can be downloaded at night.

Another feature that comes in handy is the frequency of map updates. Sygic tells users how often they get new maps. Free users are provided with a map update every three months, while subscribers receive new content every month. The application displays the latest map update date, as well as the ETA of the next release.

Overall, Sygic’s implementation proves Google needs to further polish the integration of offline maps in Google Maps. Managing such data is critical for users, especially because the map updates typically land in large packages that take a while to download.

The map downloading system in Google Maps must be urgently overhauled, as selecting the region makes it much harder for users to get the maps for an entire country. Users who plan to visit another country, for example, must download several packages of data to make sure all roads are covered. As such, Google Maps needs an option to download full countries from the very beginning, even if this might sometimes come down to saving more data on the device. The process can be further enhanced with support for cities, therefore helping users download only the maps they need.
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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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