Offline Functionality Coming to YouTube, Google Maps, Chrome

Published on May 28, 2015

The CTA and Google Maps have never really mixed - nor has any offline situation, really, with Google Maps, Chrome, and YouTube.

Until now, that is.

Gizmodo recently reported that a series of lighter apps developed for "the next billion" audience that use phones as personal computers. These apps feature offline support, demonstrated at the I/O conference.

Lets look at Maps first. The new offline support should allow for users to pull up directions, put the phone into airplane more, and still meander through the map's graphics, view the destination's address, phone number, operating address, and other pertinent information. Maps should also support turn-by-turn directions offline, as well as voice directions as well.

Youtube and Chrome are getting some similar support as well. YouTube will make use of a simple archiving tool, which allows for a user to save a video for offline viewing for up to two days. Chrome will use an interesting feature entitled a Network Quality Estimator, which effectively analyzes network connection, and then optimizes search results and any webpages you land on to load the pages faster an prioritize text and information over data-intensive media, like video and images.

Google's targeted audience are those in emerging markets with spotty and nonexistent wifi connections, though these features should also prove useful in Chicago's labyrinth of subways and buildings that can adversely affect our own connections.