Here’s how Google Maps is different on iOS

Google Maps is often the first app most people use when looking for places and directions, whether they’re on Android or iOS. It has tons of useful stuff, including several hidden Google Maps features. What’s more, Google continues to add more every year: it’s only in 2026 that Google Maps will have four incredible features. Although the basic experience of using Google Maps is largely the same on both mobile platforms, you will notice some differences if you switch between platforms. Many of these differences are the result of Apple’s platform restrictions and the seamless integration of underrated Google apps on Android.

One of the most visible differences you’ll notice becomes apparent when you use turn-by-turn navigation on both platforms. If you exit the app on Android, you get a picture-in-picture (PiP) view which gives you lots of visible details. However, on iOS, you’re pretty much limited to a navigation icon in the notification area or a dynamic island, depending on which iPhone you’re using. There’s no PiP View on iOS and you also don’t get full Dynamic Island integration, which, needless to say, could have been a good replacement for PiP View.

Another big change between the two platforms is the number of layers of contextual information you can select at once in the Google Maps app. Android lets you choose up to two “Map Details” layers, such as “Traffic” and “High Buildings”. Google Maps on iOS only supports selecting one contextual layer at a time.

Beyond the limitations of contextual layer selection and the lack of PiP view on iOS, Google Maps on iOS has several subtle differences, which can add points of friction if you prefer Google Maps to Apple Maps. For example, shared address links and voice assistant navigation commands open automatically in Google Maps for Android – unless, of course, you have changed the defaults for different actions. On iOS, Apple Maps is the default for all mapping-related actions, and there is no easy way to change the default on Google Maps. Additionally, when you interact with Siri for mapping-related commands, Apple Maps will open unless you specifically ask it to perform the task through Google Maps, something you don’t have to worry about on Android.

Additionally, if you use a smartwatch with your Android phone or iPhone, the Google Maps experience can be quite different depending on whether you have an Apple Watch or a Wear OS watch. Wear OS is getting an interactive version of Google Maps, including support for offline maps. The Apple Watch version is quite limited and only provides basic text lists for directions and ETAs, nothing else.

Overall, Google Maps on Android is more seamlessly integrated into the operating system; however, its inability to do this on iOS affects some functionality. That said, for the majority of features you’ll get a pretty similar experience, provided you can manually open Google Maps on iOS and then do whatever you want in the app.