Is google maps the best sat nav you can get on your phone.

Can you use google maps without internet connection?

Barb Dwyer wrote:Can you use google maps without internet connection?

Yes you can - I think... Maybe not

BoltonTillIDie wrote:

Barb Dwyer wrote:Can you use google maps without internet connection?

Yes you can

How?

When I load up Google maps without a connection it doesn't work. Can you download the maps for offline use?

I edited my original post.  I thought you could as I never have an issue.

https://support.google.com/gmm/answer/3273567?hl=en-GB

Apparently you can save an area ahead of time if you will likely have no internet connection

I'd guess that it doesn't give you turn by turn instructions if you download a map.

Barb Dwyer wrote:I'd guess that it doesn't give you turn by turn instructions if you download a map.

Exactly. It would just be a map rather than a sat nav. Theres no way the GPS could work without Internet (is there?)

GPS works via satellites not the Internet.  Google announced this feature, including offline turn by turn say navy would be rolled out late 2015.  Not sure if it's available yet

Offline Maps - for Google Maps Edition with Directions and Offline POI Search by Huirong Li
https://appsto.re/gb/EyN11.i

Bwfc1958 wrote:

Barb Dwyer wrote:I'd guess that it doesn't give you turn by turn instructions if you download a map.

Exactly. It would just be a map rather than a sat nav. Theres no way the GPS could work without Internet (is there?)

GPS is supposed to be used without internet connection.

I assume Google Maps needs the internet for the turn by turn navigation and the app needs to access this for that reason.  When you download the app it doesn't hold all the stuff needed and therefore needs to access their server.

With TomTom, everything is downloaded and can be used without 3G/Wifi.

If you compare both app sizes, TomTom UK is around 380mb where I bet the Google Maps app is nowhere near that amount.

Boggersbelief wrote:Offline Maps - for Google Maps Edition with Directions and Offline POI Search by Huirong Li
https://appsto.re/gb/EyN11.i

It's not the official Google Maps app that though Boggers.

I thought we were offering scotty some alternatives

Google Maps app for iPhone is 36.1mb and TomTom is 373mb.

It would appear that Google Maps relies heavily on a user having a data connection (3G) to be able to connect to their servers for "features" needed.

Boggersbelief wrote:I thought we were offering scotty some alternatives

Looks like I have gone off on a technical rant!

He was in the army anyway, his map reading skills should be on point

Boggersbelief wrote:He was in the army anyway, his map reading skills should be on point

If that's the case then he should know which app is better then as GPS was originally invented for the US military.

Real men don't need satnav.

Just sayin'.......

Surely getting lost and discovering new places is all part of the fun of driving?

Not for some people.

Nokia HERE drive, better than google maps and iphone. Voted better than Tomtom sometimes.

Not bad for a phone.