Google Maps For a few months now, it has had a not-so-new energy saving mode that is extremely practical if you use a mobile phone. Pixel 10 as a navigator while driving. Be careful, not the mobile phone connected to the car screen, but the old style, with the device in a holder on the dashboard. It is useful for the obvious advantage, but also recommended because shows a monochrome navigation mode that will delight many, with the minimum information essential for driving and showing the map in an elegant and functional black and white.
What the Maps energy saving does is get the most out of the always on screenalso known as Always-On Display. This function allows a mobile phone with a screen OLED either AMOLEDmore energy efficient than others, show basic information even if the screen is lockedsuch as time, date, battery or notification icons. Since it only illuminates a minimal part of the panel, consumes significantly less power than a fully lit screen.
Thus, the energy saving of Google Maps takes advantage of the always-on screen to, instead of presenting the usual map in full color, with traffic, alternative routes and other visual elements, it shows a reduced version with essential driving information. The user can see the next turn, distance remaining, estimated time of arrival and main directions without having the phone fully turned on.
Limitations of Google Maps Power Saving Mode
Google describes this feature, launched with the Pixel Drop last November, as a low consumption map on the mobile lock screen. If you connect the phone to the car via Android Autothe vehicle’s screen will continue to use the usual Google Maps interface, the monochrome view is for the phone itself. Other limitations of the function are that it is not intended for routes on foot, by bicycle or by public transport, Google limits it to car navigation, and it can only be used in vertical orientation.
For some reason only Google knows, Google Maps power saving mode is disabled. only available on the Pixel 10 and not in the same way on all. In it Pixel 10athe always-on screen shows Maps with fewer visual elements, yes, but the map is still in color and with the usual information. Always-on black and white navigation can only be used on Pixel 10, 10Pro, 10 Pro XL and the ProFold which was never released in Spain.
How to activate power saving mode in Google Maps
To activate it, you have to open Google Maps, touch the profile image, enter Settingsthen in Navigation and look for the option Energy saving within the Driving options. Google indicates that the mode is activated by default on compatible devices, but it is worth checking if it does not appear. Once a car route has started, Simply press the phone’s power button to switch to this low-power view. To exit, you can touch the screen or press the button again.
Google assures that the mode can extend autonomy up to four hours during navigation, although actual savings depend on brightness, GPS usage, coverage, traffic and other factors. Beyond the battery, its greatest success is in visual cleanliness. For a quick glance while driving, a screen with fewer elements may even be more convenient than the full map. And aesthetically it is a success.
For now there are no known plans from Google to bring this function to more phones, but presumably he will end up doing so. Google usually launches new functions first on its phones and later brings them to the rest of the Android ecosystem.