If, like me, you’ve got an iPhone, the recent update to iOS 6 removed the old Google Maps app and replaced it with the new Apple Maps app, not without a good deal of criticism! While the new app features flyover and spoken turn-by-turn directions, like many I really miss Google Maps and features like Street View. Don’t despair. You can get these features back on your phone quite quickly by simply going to the Google Maps web site in Safari. You will get an iPhone-specific version of the maps site, and be able to access Street View and more.
Here’s how you do it:
- Fire up the Safari browser and visit maps.google.com.
- Notice that little sliding pop-up at the bottom of the screen? Follow the instructions to add a shortcut to your iPhone Home Screen.
If Google Maps doesn’t have permission to find your location you’ll be shown another message, like the one above, telling you. Click on the link for information on how to allow the browser — and Google Maps — to use you iPhone’s internal GPS to know where you are. You don’t have to do this, but if you want your current location shown on the map, you will have to allow the browser access to this information.
Then sit back and relax. With your Google Maps link on your home screen, its like having a dedicated app. There you are, the best of both worlds.
