The folks over at Android Police got their hands on the new Google Maps 7.1 APK and have found some interesting features. The most interesting thing they found was that Google is getting ready to integrate 3D buildings into maps, using Google Earth technology. Version 7.1 of Google Earth already allows Android users to browse 3D buildings but it’d be nice to see it integrated into Google Maps as well.
Although 3D buildings look cool, they also require some serious processing power to render, making Google Earth a very laggy experience. Google is probably playing it safe and not integrating 3D buildings into Maps yet, as it’s an app that many rely on for traveling. With more and more powerful phones coming out, soon our phones will be able to render 3D buildings without a problem.
Additional, Android Police found code that points to offline maps that can be access by 3rd party apps, which seriously expands the features of the Maps API. There’s also a few minor changes to how routes are displayed but they’re nothing major.
For the full breakdown of Google Maps 7.1, head over to the source link below.