Google Maps Offline Nav and Search “Coming Soon” to iOS

Google announced today the roll out of offline navigation and search for Android users, something they previewed earlier this spring at Google I/O.

The feature allows Google Maps users to download an area of the map for offline use, which will enable navigation and search without an Internet connection:

Now you can download an area of the world to your phone, and the next time you find there’s no connectivity—whether it’s a country road or an underground parking garage—Google Maps will continue to work seamlessly. Whereas before you could simply view an area of the map offline, now you can get turn-by-turn driving directions, search for specific destinations, and find useful information about places, like hours of operation, contact information or ratings.

The feature will be handy for those with spotty data connections, and also when you’re traveling, as you’ll now have access to search and navigation completely offline. This means Google Maps on iPhone can now be your dedicated GPS while you’re traveling to the USA, or internationally.

As for the feature coming to iPhone and iPad users, Google says it’s “coming soon”.