On Google Maps, removing the search bar to take advantage of a full-screen interface now requires a swipe up, and no longer a simple tap on your screen.
Google Maps is the most popular mapping service in the world today. The smallest novelty deployed by Google affects hundreds of millions of users. And the latest, certainly discreet, remains at least interesting: it concerns our navigation gestures.
A swipe up
As spotted 9to5Google, a brand new gesture method has been introduced by the Californian group to remove the top search bar available from the main interface. You now have to swipe said bar upwards, against a simple tap anywhere on your map before.
By doing so, it allows you to enjoy a full-screen display, without any visual pollution (tabs, buttons). Then just a simple press anywhere on Maps to reappear the search bar.
A less intuitive gesture?
Nevertheless, and as noted 9to5Google, this gesture is perhaps a bit less intuitive than the old technique. It requires a wider movement of your thumb. It used to be that typing anywhere on your interface was a natural and easy part of the user experience.
This little novelty was discovered in February, but for a limited number of users. The Mountain View firm seems to have deployed it on a larger scale. And if you didn’t know this new gestural navigation, you are now able to use it as you see fit.
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