GoKawiil
Tech News
Starting Thursday, Google Maps will show petrol and diesel prices at UK fuel stations, sourced from the government’s Fuel Finder scheme. This addition aims to help drivers locate cheaper fuel options amid rising costs, with prices updated within 30 minutes of change as required by law. The feature is already available on Waze, while Apple Maps does not currently display fuel prices.
MapQuest has launched beta support for Android Auto, extending its mapping app to in-car displays on the platform. The move follows a surge in MapQuest's popularity after it kept the name 'Lake Ontario' unchanged while Apple and Google altered references under pressure from President Trump, with MapQuest saying usage rose 50-fold and downloads topped 1.5 million.
Multiple Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro/Pro XL owners say Google Maps freezes, flickers, or shows pixelated graphical artifacts when used with Android Auto, over both wired and wireless connections. The issue persists despite clearing app data, reinstalling apps, switching cables, or changing resolution settings, and doesn't affect all users or vehicles.
A website has launched that lets users compare old maps with present-day locations by layering historical cartography over current satellite and street views. Users can scroll through different time periods to see how a specific location has changed over decades or centuries.
Google has added a new Map tool to the Gemini app, currently available only on Android and iOS mobile versions. The tool shows users' location on a live map with zoom and search functions, and an 'Explore this area' button that adds map data to prompts. Separately, a beta version of the Google app is replacing the forward-slash shortcut with an @ symbol for accessing skills and connectors.
Android Authority's Insights team found code for an unreleased Android Auto feature that would use an animated raccoon character, paired with a temperature caption, to show weather conditions on the dashboard. Columnist Andy Walker argues the cartoonish design clashes with Android Auto's usual large, legible, high-contrast interface elements meant to be read quickly while driving.
Michael Gnagy, a Google product manager, says businesses can improve visibility on Search and Maps by connecting their Google Business Profile to Gemini and by posting content directly to the profile rather than relying solely on Instagram Stories. He explains Gemini can analyze a listing's photos, videos and reviews and answer owners' natural-language questions about what needs attention. Gnagy also notes that ephemeral content like Instagram Stories often isn't indexed by Google, while direct posts can appear on both Search and Maps.
Apple allows users in the EU and Japan to set Google Maps as their default navigation app via Settings > Apps > Default Apps, making it open automatically through Siri or CarPlay. Users outside those regions can still use Google Maps in CarPlay but must manually launch it or append phrases like 'on Google Maps' to Siri requests to bypass Apple Maps.
Cyclists can use smartphones with mounts and apps like Google Maps, Komoot, or Ride with GPS for navigation and GPS ride tracking instead of buying a dedicated bike computer. An older phone can be repurposed as a bike computer by loading routes over Wi-Fi, since offline navigation and GPS recording don't require a SIM card, while a smartwatch can supplement the setup by tracking heart rate and fitness data.
A content creator investigated Yemen's commonly cited land area of 555,000 sq km, found via Google and Wikipedia, and discovered that manually tracing the country's borders on Google Maps produced only about 456,000 sq km, even including islands like Socotra. Tracing the figure to a 1991 Yemeni statistical yearbook, the creator found the discrepancy stemmed from a northern border drawn to the 20th latitude, beyond Yemen's actual border with Saudi Arabia at the 19th latitude. Other major sources, including the CIA World Factbook, World Bank, and United Nations, instead list Yemen's area as 527,968 sq km.
Users report that Google Maps on desktop browsers returns a 'can't find restaurants' style error when searching broad, nonspecific terms, while specific searches like building names still work. The mobile app appears unaffected, and the issue is showing up across multiple browsers, not just Chrome. Google has not yet confirmed the cause.
MapQuest has launched public transit directions in its iOS and Android apps, with web support coming soon. The feature covers nearly 2,000 cities in 70 countries, offering door-to-door trip planning across buses, trains and trams, real-time departure data for over 350 cities, and station access details.