Big changes to Google Maps

Google Maps on Android quietly removed the music control feature while navigating, making the user's driving experience more inconvenient.

Google Maps on Android removes music control feature while navigating. Photo: Bloomberg .

A major change has just been discovered in the Google Maps app for Android. In it, the feature of controlling music playback during navigation has been removed, raising concerns about the user experience while driving.

According to a report from 9to5Google , the “Show media playback controls” option in the Navigation section has disappeared on the latest versions of Google Maps for Android. Specifically, both version 25.28 and beta 25.29 no longer show this option. Hands-on testing on a Pixel 6a device also confirmed this.

Along with that, the Default Media App option, which allowed users to choose between Spotify and YouTube Music, has also been completely removed. Previously, this feature played an important role in helping users control music streaming content directly in the navigation interface, minimizing operations and avoiding distraction while driving.

However, this change seems to only affect the Android platform. On iOS, the music playback controls still work normally, although only Apple Music and Spotify are supported, not YouTube Music.

It’s unclear whether this is a temporary bug in the update process or an intentional move on Google’s part. As Google gradually replaces its Assistant with a new AI platform called Gemini, removing Assistant-related components like driving mode could be part of a restructuring strategy. However, the company has yet to announce any official plans for a new version based on Gemini.

This change could be problematic for users who regularly use Google Maps for navigation and listen to music at the same time. They are now forced to switch to using the controls of each music app, which increases the risk of distraction while driving.

Users are waiting for an official response from Google on this issue, especially in the context of many familiar features being gradually withdrawn from the application without clear announcement.

Source: https://znews.vn/thay-doi-lon-cua-google-map-post1570459.html