At its latest Made By Google event last week, Google introduced a handful of new Pixel smartphones and the Pixel Watch 3. During the event, Google also announced that it will soon roll out an offline Google Maps feature for Wear OS devices. As promised, the search titan has finally started rolling out the new feature to the Pixel Watch series smartwatches. In addition, the new offline Google Maps functionality is available for Samsung’s Galaxy Watch series devices.
Wear OS smartwatches are finally getting support for offline Google Maps
Google has finally released the much-awaited offline Google Maps feature for Wear OS smartwatches, including the new Pixel Watch 3. The new functionality is also showing up on the Google Pixel Watch 2. Notably, Samsung’s Galaxy Watch series is also getting support for the new offline Google Maps feature.
The offline Google Maps feature is available in the beta “11.140.0701.W” version of the app on the Pixel Watch 2. Once updated to the new beta version of the app, you will see a new “Offline maps” menu above the “Settings” option.
SamMobile reports that select Samsung Galaxy Watch series device users can also use Google Maps offline. The support is reportedly rolling out to the Galaxy Watch 4 and Galaxy Watch Ultra smartwatches. It is available through the same beta version of the Google Maps app for Wear OS wearables. Google is expected to roll out the new feature to other Pixel series and Wear OS smartwatches in the coming days.
You’ll be able to navigate around using your Wear OS smartwatch without connectivity
Once the new feature update reaches your device, opening Google Maps will bring a new message regarding offline Google Maps support. It will mention “Offline maps on the phone are auto-downloaded to the watch”. Thanks to the new feature, you will be able to easily navigate around using your smartwatch without any connectivity. Notably, the new feature notes how much space the offline maps will take up on your smartwatch. Also, you will be able to easily delete the maps you don’t need anymore directly from your wrist.
That means if you have a Wi-Fi-only smartwatch without a connected phone nearby, you’ll still be able to navigate offline. It works the same way for a Wi-Fi+LTE Wear OS smartwatch that doesn’t have a cellular signal.
