Google Maps starts showing speed in its GPS navigator mode
And why would I need a speedometer in an application if I already have the one in the car? You will ask yourself. And you ask well. But the interesting thing about this news is that Google Maps continues to improve its navigation tool to make it as complete or more complete than its cousin Waze. An update that now brings the possibility of showing on the screen the approximate speed at which we are driving All this together with the directions and indications that we have to follow when we use it as GPS.
Of course, for the moment the function is being distributed with droppers, as usual in Google services. Until now several users from United States and Belgium have been able to see this feature on their Android phones. So everything points to the fact that we are still days or weeks away from seeing it implemented in Spain. Something that helps Google smooth out any roughness in the operation of this new tool before reaching all users.
When it lands on all mobiles, all we have to do is use Google Maps as our browser to receive directions and see, in the lower corner left of the screen, a small box with the speed information. Of course, as long as the function is active in the browser settings.As you know, this data is approximate, since it will be the application that calculates, taking into account the location via GPS of the terminal, how long it takes to travel a distance to measure its speed. So the most accurate data will be the one set by the speed control of the vehicle itself, just in front of the steering wheel, and not on the side of the dashboard, where the mobile phone is usually placed as a GPS.
Anyway, it's a strange feature that I haven't seen before in Google Maps. But it has been serving as a good GPS for many users for years. Although everything indicates that it is adopting functionalities from the aforementioned Waze, where the user's speed is shown, or at least if it has exceeded the maximum speed allowed by the road on which it circulates. And it is that the location data of speed cameras and the maximum speed of the different roads have also been recently discovered. Issues that were absent in Google Maps until now.
Now we have to wonder if this competition between Google Maps and Waze is positive for any of these applications. Both are under the umbrella of Google, so it makes little sense that there is a crossover of users between them, or a rivalry that forces them to improve with new qualities and functions never seen before. What is clear is that the user wins, and that is whether they use Waze or Google Maps, they will have more functions and features and information visible on the mobile screen while driving. Interesting not to lose attention to the road too much looking at the mobile and the speedometer of the car. With a quick look at the mobile screen you can now know the next indication, if we are driving where we should and the current speed, in addition to the maximum speed of the road.
Of course, as a good incipient feature, and as reported by Android Police, the speedometer is not yet available through Android Auto You know, that application/function that allows you to simplify your Android mobile to have your mobile operational even when you have both hands on the wheel and your attention on the road. And it is that Google Maps still has a few boils left to be a complete GPS. But he's on the right track. Slow but safe.
