Genius Google Maps trick puts arrows on your camera screen so you never get lost again – how to unlock it

BRITS can now use a new Google Maps feature that makes sure you never walk the wrong way again on dozens of phone models.

It works using augmented reality (or AR) to overlay your exact directions onto the real world around you – using your smartphone camera.

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The revolutionary system was first announced at last year's Google I/O tech conference.

But it's only now available on a large number of phone models in the UK – including Apple's iPhone.

It solves a big problem with Google Maps: dodgy directions.

If signal is poor, Google Maps will often position you in the wrong place, or say you're facing a completely different direction.

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So when you launch navigation, it can often be difficult to get exactly where you're supposed to be going.

However, this can be solved using AR technology – which you'll already have experienced with Pokémon Go or Snapchat face filters.

Pressing "Start AR" will launch the camera on your phone, showing the view in front of you – but with a small maps section at the bottom.

You'll then be instructed to wave your camera around, so Google's AI systems can get an idea of where you are – based on nearby landmarks, like roads and buildings.

Google Maps knows roughly where you are using GPS, and then the images you're capturing are compared to Google Street View data.

This can tell Google exactly where you're facing when other systems have failed.

Once that's done, directions will overlay themselves on the camera viewfinder, showing you exactly where to walk.

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This sounds hugely distracting if you were using this while driving, but Google recommends this feature for pedestrians only.

That said, it's easy to see how people might end up using it while driving anyway.

It might also increase the problem of pedestrians who have their eyes glued to their phone while they walk around.

Google does prompt users with an alert that reads "for your safety, keep your phone down while you walk" – but this will almost certainly be ignored.

Importantly, only certain phone models can use the new feature, which we'll reveal below.

Google Maps AR supported devices (Android) – here's the full list

Acer:

• Chromebook Tab 10 Requires ChromeOS stable builds 69 or later.

Asus:

• ROG Phone
• Zenfone 6
• Zenfone AR
• Zenfone ARES

General Mobile:

• GM 9 Plus

Google:

• Nexus 5X Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• Nexus 6P Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• Pixel, Pixel XL
• Pixel 2, Pixel 2 XL Supports 60 fps camera capture frame rate on the rear-facing camera
• Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL Supports 60 fps camera capture frame rate on the rear-facing camera
• Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL

HMD Global:

• Nokia 6 (2018) Also known as Nokia 6.1
• Nokia 6.1 Plus
• Nokia 7 Plus
• Nokia 7.1
• Nokia 8 Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• Nokia 8 Sirocco
• Nokia 8.1

Huawei:

• Honor 8X, Honor 10
• Honor View 10 Lite
• Honor V20
• Mate 20 Lite, Mate 20, Mate 20 Pro, Mate 20 X
• Nova 3, Nova 3i
• Nova 4
• P20, P20 Pro
• P30, P30 Pro
• Porsche Design Mate RS,
• Porsche Design Mate 20 RS
• Y9 2019

LG:

• G6 Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• G7 Fit, G7 One, G7 ThinQ ARCore uses the wide angle fixed focus rear camera for AR tracking.
• G8 ThinQ ARCore uses the wide angle fixed focus rear camera for AR tracking.
• Q6
• Q8
• V30, V30+, V30+ JOJO,
• LG Signature Edition 2017 Requires Android 8.0 or later
• ARCore uses the wide angle fixed focus rear camera for AR tracking.
• V35 ThinQ,
• LG Signature Edition 2018 ARCore uses the wide angle fixed focus rear camera for AR tracking.
• V40 ThinQ
• V50 ThinQ ARCore uses the wide angle fixed focus rear camera for AR tracking.

Motorola:

• Moto G5S Plus
• Moto G6, Moto G6 Plus
• Moto G7, Moto G7 Plus, Moto G7 Power, Moto G7 Play
• Moto One, Moto One Power
• Moto X4 Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• Moto Z2 Force Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• Moto Z3, Moto Z3 Play

OnePlus:

• OnePlus 3T Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• OnePlus 5, OnePlus 5T
• OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T
• OnePlus 7, OnePlus 7 Pro, OnePlus 7 Pro 5G

Oppo:

• R17 Pro
• Reno 10x Zoom
• RealMe X Lite

Samsung:

• Galaxy A3 (2017) Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• Galaxy A5 (2017)
• Galaxy A6 (2018)
• Galaxy A7 (2017)
• Galaxy A8, Galaxy A8+ (2018)
• Galaxy A30, Galaxy A40, Galaxy A50, Galaxy A60, Galaxy A70, Galaxy A80
• Galaxy J5 (2017), Galaxy J5 Pro SM-J530 models
• Galaxy J7 (2017), Galaxy J7 Pro SM-J730 models
• Galaxy Note8
• Galaxy Note9
• Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge
• Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+
• Galaxy S9, Galaxy S9+
• Galaxy S10e, Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S10 5G
• Galaxy Tab S3, Galaxy Tab S4, Galaxy Tab S5e

Sharp:

• AQUOS R3

Sony:

• Xperia XZ Premium Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• Xperia XZ1, Xperia XZ1 Compact Requires Android 8.0 or later.
• Xperia XZ2, Xperia XZ2 Compact, Xperia XZ2 Premium Requires Android 8.0 or later with software update after Aug 2018 (security patch level 2018-08-05 or later).
• Xperia XZ3
• Xperia 1

Vivo:

• NEX S
• NEX Dual Display Edition

Xiaomi:

• Mi 8, Mi 8 SE
• Mi 9
• Mi Mix 2S
• Mi Mix 3
• Pocophone F1

Zebra:

• TC52 WLAN Touch Computer
• TC57 WWAN Touch Computer
• TC72 WLAN Touch Computer
• TC77 WWAN Touch Computer

Google Maps AR supported devices (iPhone) – here's the full list

iPhone:

• iPhone XR
• iPhone XS and XS Max
• iPhone X
• iPhone 8 and 8 Plus
• iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
• iPhone 6S and 6S Plus
• iPhone SE

iPad:

• iPad Air 3rd Generation
• iPad mini 5th Generation
• 12.9-in. iPad Pro (1st, 2nd, and 3rd Generation)
• 11-in. iPad Pro
• 10.5-in. iPad Pro
• 9.7-in. iPad Pro
• iPad (6th Generation)
• iPad (5th Generation)

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What new features would you like to see added to Google Maps? Let us know in the comments!

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