If you see some people swerving their smartphones in a figure 8 motion, don’t worry, that’s not the latest dance craze to hit the streets. They’ve probably updated to the latest version of Google Maps and are now trying to recalibrate their device’s GPS in order to get more accurate directions. That’s because the newest version of Google’s navigation app has a new feature that helps those who are directionally challenged through the power of a blue beam. It’s a minor update but pretty important for those who constantly have to tweak the map to match their direction.
So now, instead of turning the map around, you have a “shining blue beam” that will make it easier for you to orient your direction within Google Maps. Google explains it as a flashlight that will guide you, only it doesn’t actually have light and it is blue. The beam also lets you know how accurate your phone’s direction is. If it’s narrow, then it means it is more accurate. But the wider it gets, it means the calibration has been affected when you charged your phone or when you passed by some metal poles.
And that’s where the dancing/swerving comes in. To recalibrate your phone, move it in a figure 8 motion a few times until the blue beam narrows, meaning it is now in a more accurate direction. You may look a little weird actually swerving your phone over and over, but hey, which is more important, looking normal or having an accurate Google Maps?
It seems that this will be a server-side update as there are no instructions to manually update the app. So just wait until you finally get that shining blue beam to help point you in the right direction.
SOURCE: Google Maps
