Google recently announced that it is updating its Google Maps service with a feature that will allow users to use it in offline mode. This will allow users to use Google Maps in areas where there is no Internet connection or the signal is weak.

The announcement was made by Google product manager Amanda Bishop on Google's official blog. Bishop cited that over 60 percent of the world is not connected to the Internet and in some places Internet speeds can be very slow.

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"This is a huge problem, especially as people attempt to navigate and explore the world around them, so Google Maps is taking steps to help people across the globe find directions and get where they're going, even when they don't have an Internet connection," she said.

In order for Google Maps to work even in offline mode, Google had to redesign the service in order to allow users to download a specific area of the map into their phone's local storage. This will allow them to use that downloaded part of Google Maps even in the absence of Internet connection.

To download an area on Google Maps, users can start by searching the name of the city or country and tapping the Download option on the results page. Another way is to access Offline Areas on Google Maps.

Once the area is downloaded, Google Maps will automatically switch to offline mode once it recognizes that the user is in the location.

Once users reestablish connection to the Internet, Google Maps will automatically switch to online mode so that users can use all of its features that include live traffic conditions.

According to Computer World, downloading an area of Google Maps consumes massive amounts of data, which is why the feature will only download contents when users are connected to a Wi-Fi network. This is to prevent users from consuming their mobile data allowance and also to prevent overcharges. 

TagsGoogle Maps, Maps, Google Maps offline, Google Maps feature, Google Maps update