Google rolls out biking directions, navigation shortcut, sharing and more on latest version of Maps for Android

David Gonzales  By on 12 May 10

Google has just rolled out an update for Google Maps for Android, and with the latest version, users can now get free biking directions on the go, as well as a Navigation shortcut on the Home screen and built-in sharing options. Read on for the details.

Biking directions were added to the desktop version of Google Maps quite recently, and Google has moved to include this same feature for the mobile version of Maps on Android just in time for National Bike Month. And besides biking directions, users will also benefit from a new “Bicycling layer” on the map which, according to Google, shows dedicated bike-only trails (dark green), roads with bike lanes (light green) or roads that are good for biking but lack a dedicated lane (dashed green). This is accessible via the Layers menu.

Google has also included a Google Maps Navigation shortcut with the update for added convenience, and it can be added to the Home screen for easier access to Google Maps. The update also pays attention to sharing, and provides users options to share where they’re going to friends whom they might want to meet up with.

All the above-mentioned new features can be availed by getting Google Maps version 4.2. This works on all phones running Android 1.6 and later. If you are reading this from your phone right now, check out the updated version here: (link).

Via Official Google Mobile Blog

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