Google isn’t wasting any time it seems, Google Maps has just received an update in the market adding a few notable features just in time for the Galaxy Nexus and Ice Cream Sandwich. First off, the size of Google Maps will now be smaller or larger based on device screen resolution. Devices with qHD or Galaxy Nexus 1280 x 800 resolution displays will have a different, larger download to support the higher resolution on the display and older devices will see smaller download sizes and times.
Then more importantly, we now have NFC support in Google Maps. While this doesn’t matter to most users currently, this will be a big part of Android moving forward with Ice Cream Sandwich and the new Android Beam. For more information on Beam click here. In Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with Android Beam users will be able to use NFC to simply tap phones together and share content. From Youtube videos, pictures, web site links and pages, and of course maps. If you’d like to share the map with a friend just tap your phones together and initiate the Beam.
Most likely we’ll be seeing similar updates to YouTube and other applications over the next few days as we get closer to the Galaxy Nexus launch date but today Google Maps is already on board. There is a possibility other features are also included here with the latest Google Maps, but nothing was mentioned in the release notes. Either way go ahead and download it now from the Android Market.
If you are wondering what Ice Cream Sandwich is (you should already know) you can see all of our coverage by clicking here, and in the video below.
Galaxy Nexus and 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich hands-on
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