Due to sheer number of smartphone manufacturers, Android smartphones are known for providing different user experience. While high-end smartphones do not show any performance related issue, budget Android smartphones tend to have problems when multitasking or running process intensive applications. In order to solve this problem, Google recently introduced Android Go, a version of Android targeted for budget oriented smartphones. However, in order to give solid user experience, Android Go also needs to contain lite applications and Google introduced Search Go and Files Go application. And now, Google has officially made Maps Go available on Play Store for everyone.
If you are familiar, then you already know that Google Go applications are designed to provide solid user experiences with reduced data consumptions. While it may be easier to do so with applications such as Files Go, putting it into work with navigation and maps related application can be difficult. However, the Maps Go application is a shortcut to a Progressive Web App for Google Maps. Whether or not the application consumes less data remains to be seen but if you go here you will see the version of Map that looks exactly like the Maps on Android Go. Moreover, if you add a shortcut to the web page to home screen of your Android application, your smartphone will use Maps Go instead of the regular Maps application. At the moment however, it’s unclear when the application will be supported by budget smartphones currently available in the market.
Image: Flickr/Tony Hirst
