Google is preparing to boost its Google Maps app features and a number of select users will get to test them out soon enough.
Although it is hard to determine how Google picks its test users, the lucky ones will know they have been selected when they observe a new "Wi-Fi only" option located in the app's Settings menu.
Android Police notes that the new option comes to replace the dated "offline areas" option from the menu of the app. By enabling the new option, users are actively preventing Google Maps from churning down their cellular data while they're on route. This could prove a very handy feature if you need to save on mobile data during a trip.
When you tap on the "Wi-Fi only" listing, the app takes you to the offline settings screen from the anterior variants of the app. This might mean that Google Maps got a rather cosmetic than in-depth upgrade, but the quick way to toggle Wi-Fi usage on and off is a welcome addition, nevertheless.
With its latest upgrade, Google Maps targets the needs of commuters who use public transportation. The new feature in the app notifies users when their bus, train or subway is suffering a delay. Users simply select a slew of transit lines for which they receive notifications, should the public transport fail to arrive on time. Dubbed "disruption alerts," these will land swiftly on the handsets of users who tap into the new feature.
Google might think about adding more variables into the feature, such as the capability to switch disruption alerts during weekends and holidays. However, these developments probably coming in future editions of the app are a matter of speculation.
At the moment, the company did not say whether or not the new capabilities will land on all Android phones with a compatible app version. Google said nothing about the new features coming to iOS but examples from the past support the idea that Apple users will get the treats as well.
For the new features to work on your Android phone, version v9.32 of Maps (or newer) is required. Should you want to, you can download the v9.32.1 variant, here.
As a reminder, Google Maps for Android got an important update at the beginning of June.
Most notably, the mobile app took a leaf out of its desktop book and made multiple destinations available for smartphones. This way, users were able to plan their road navigation better and more efficiently, right from their mobile screens.
