Google Maps navigation on Wear OS now works without a phone

The title says it all: from now on, turn-by-turn navigation on Wear OS smartwatches can work even without a phone connected to the watch. However, you will still need an internet connection – it’s not offline navigation. That means only Wear OS smartwatches with LTE support (and an associated carrier plan) could take advantage of this feature virtually anywhere in the world, as long as there’s a network signal.

On the other hand, if your Wear OS smartwatch doesn’t have LTE connectivity, you can still use Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation without a phone, as long as the watch is connected to a Wi-Fi network. how usable it will prove to be in the wild – after all, Wi-Fi networks aren’t known for moving around too much, while ‘browsing’ involves a lot of movement.

Nevertheless, the feature is now live and you can get turn-by-turn Maps navigation while leaving your phone behind. It’s unclear if offline browsing will ever come to a smartwatch near you, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

spring | Via