Google Maps Update Brings Back The Scale Bar

Play Maps Tablet View

Google recently revamped its Maps application, and although it looked great, it was missing one substantial feature that had been included in every other version of the app to date – the beloved scale bar. Now the team at Mountain View HQ have pushed out an update on Google Play for Maps, bringing back the measurement bar which allows you to see distances on a map.

The Maps app comes pre-loaded on all Android devices and allows users to explore new places and navigate around the world with voice guided turn-by-turn GPS navigation, with support for public transport, cycle routes, and walking/driving directions.

The scale bar is a permanent fixture within the app, so there are no settings to show or hide the bar. It only seems to show itself when you move around or zoom in on a new map, after which it rather quickly disappears.

The changelog for the update can be seen below:

  • Scale bar lets you see distances on a map
  • Bug fixes

The update can be downloaded from Google Play, by clicking the source link below.