Google Working on Bare-Bones Maps That Removes Almost All Interface Elements and Labels

Google Maps is testing a power saving mode in its latest Android beta release that strips the navigation interface to its bare essentials. The feature transforms the screen into a monochrome display and removes nearly all UI elements during navigation, according to AndroidAuthority.

Users discovered code strings in version 25.44.03.824313610 indicating the mode activates through the phone's physical power button rather than through any in-app menu. The stripped-down interface eliminates standard map labels and appears to omit even the name of the upcoming street where drivers need to turn. The mode supports walking, driving, and two-wheeler directions but currently cannot be used in landscape orientation.

No street names is the norm

[Dayze!Confused]

Since digital maps came out there has been one thing they cannot seem to get right, labeling roads, especially when zoomed in. We've all been there, desperately needing to know what the name of the street is that we are on, pinching to zoom in further only to have the name we could barely read before, now completely disappear.

Re:

[Waffle Iron]

Or my pet peeve: If they do show the text, it's some ceremonial name for a highway that nobody uses or knows, like the "Honorable Colonel Harland David Sanders Commemorative Memorial Highway" instead of "US Hwy 123".

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[shanen]

Sanity checks versus insanity checks? The biggest building anywhere in Google Maps is the room for improvements...

I've stopped submitting any feedback that might be "constructive", especially in any sense related to profits. If they pay me, maybe I'll reconsider, but the increasingly evil google can't do that. Profit uber alles.

So does anyone know a company that has the capability to create a GOOD mapping app and the resources to blow the google version out of the water. I know that's a silly idea. The goog

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[VaccinesCauseAdults]

Not saying Apple is perfect, and I know they got a lot of flak in early days of Apple Maps. But holy shit using Apple Maps is far better than Google Maps in my car. The information graphics, fonts, colours, readability, etc. Google Maps is amateur hour. Gives upcoming routes in colours very similar to colours used for traffic density on side roads. Fonts and information density is all over the place. Layout, motion, damping, frame rate, he no real legibility. Everything is worse on Google Maps, at least in

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[shanen]

Thanks for the lead... When will I find the energy to pursue it? "Now" is the correct answer, but... Bad priorities is always the wrong answer.

iAcknowledgement.

[geekmux]

Or my pet peeve: If they do show the text, it's some ceremonial name for a highway that nobody uses or knows, like the "Honorable Colonel Harland David Sanders Commemorative Memorial Highway" instead of "US Hwy 123".

When you really think about it, Google was merely doing land acknowledgements before they were cool.

50 points to Team StockStuffinMore.

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[geekmux]

Since digital maps came out there has been one thing they cannot seem to get right, labeling roads, especially when zoomed in. We've all been there, desperately needing to know what the name of the street is that we are on, pinching to zoom in further only to have the name we could barely read before, now completely disappear.

If the (correct) label appears at one layer of magnification but disappears at another, it always seemed to me that is more a UI issue rather than a problem of lacking detailed data.

The label is there. The UI support, is not. Which makes the ongoing problem and our inability to fix it, look quite stupid.

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[tlhIngan]

Yeah, I never really got that. If you look closely it's like the road name is embedded in the image - so when you zoom in, it's using a more detailed image but the road name is gone because it's not there in the zoomed in version.

The reason is the spacing is often very large so you can have an unnamed road because they burned it into the image too far apart for the screen so you have to scroll.

If it was a part of the map data itself, the map could easy make sure the road name is on screen.

Maybe it's time fo

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[Fly Swatter]

People used to look at the street name printed on the road sign when turning onto said street. Now they are too busy staring at a screen.

I fully support this

[wecnal]

The amount of times that I've hit that stupid "navigate by voice" button (or whatever it is) is FAR too high.

Want to save power?

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

Shut down all sensors that have nothing to do with navigation, that Google uses to put people under surveillance, stop the data collection and stop sending data to the mothership all the damn time. I guarantee you power usage will go down significantly.

How do I know that? because my Fairphone 4 running CalyxOS gets a few more hours of battery life than the same Fairphone 4 running vanilla Android, and my Fairphone 5 running Ubuntu Touch also does better battery-wise than the same phone running Google's surveillance platform.

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[Mr. Dollar Ton]

Perhaps next you'll tell them to not be evil, eh?

Get rid of the GUI map

[FudRucker]

And use simple text based navigation
Continue on I-15 north for 20 miles Turn west on hwy 58 to Bakersfield

Re: Get rid of the GUI map

[reanjr]

That's essentially what Google Maps puts in your notification bar while it's navigating.

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[geekmux]

And use simple text based navigation Continue on I-15 north for 20 miles Turn west on hwy 58 to Bakersfield

North.

West.

You say these words as if they're still utilized as navigational terms and not social media celebutante child na-memes.

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[Snotnose]

And skip that Exit 11b crap. In my neck of the woods we get big signs saying "Main St 3 miles", "Main St 2 miles", "Main St next exit". It's only once you've taken the exit you see that little sign that says "exit 11b".

bare bones

[roman_mir]

Why not just go real bare bones and implement the only interface that is needed - Aliens style motion tracker. A couple of dots and a sound that beeps faster and faster when the target is closer?

"Almost All"?

[newcastlejon]

So is it safe to assume they will keep the ads in?

Stop the nagging

[devslash0]

What they need to stop is the constant nagging and having to interact with the maps app while driving. For example, maps often say "we found a new faster route, click no to decline". No. Fuck off. The default should be that you stay on the route I selected before starting to drive. I shouldn't have to try and desperately stop you from sending me down an unknown, silly route because you think you know better by default.