--- description: Google Maps is improving its iPhone app with night mode. title: Google Maps for iOS Just Got the Most Useful New Feature image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ed534d334a601bc/69885c030a4a2270729c541d/gettyimages-158329781.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Tech](/tag/time-section-tech/) ## Tech Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Google Maps For iOS Just Got The Most Useful New Feature by [Benjamin Snyder/Fortune](/author/benjamin-snyderfortune/) ## Benjamin Snyder/Fortune Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 7, 2015 8:07 PM CUT  FAIRFAX, CA - DECEMBER 13: The Google Maps app is seen on an Apple iPhone 4S on December 13, 2012 in Fairfax, California. Three months after Apple removed the popular Google Maps from its operating system to replace it with its own mapping software, a Google Maps app has been added to the iTunes store. Apple Maps were widely panned in tech reviews and among customers, the fallout resulting in the dismissal of the top executive in charge of Apple's mobile operating system. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) FAIRFAX, CA - DECEMBER 13: The Google Maps app is seen on an Apple iPhone 4S on December 13, 2012 in Fairfax, California. Three months after Apple removed the popular Google Maps from its operating system to replace it with its own mapping software, a Google Maps app has been added to the iTunes store. Apple Maps were widely panned in tech reviews and among customers, the fallout resulting in the dismissal of the top executive in charge of Apple's mobile operating system. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)Justin Sullivan—Getty Images by [Benjamin Snyder/Fortune](/author/benjamin-snyderfortune/) ## Benjamin Snyder/Fortune Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Aug 7, 2015 8:07 PM CUT Apple’s maps app used to trumpet its nighttime version, or the map’s darker graphics after the sun goes down, over Google Maps. But not any longer, as Google Maps added the feature to its ever-growing [arsenal of functions](http://fortune.com/2015/06/16/apple-google-maps-ios/ "undefined") on Thursday. The Verge [reported](http://www.theverge.com/2015/8/7/9115887/google-maps-night-mode-ios "undefined") that there’s now a night mode in its iOS app, meaning it automatically switches to darker colors when it’s being used during the evening. But as the publication noted, this isn’t the first time Google Maps has had this capability. In fact, Android users apparently enjoyed the feature for years previously. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3989509/google-maps-ios-upgrade/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3989509/google-maps-ios-upgrade/"},"headline":"Google Maps For iOS Just Got The Most Useful New Feature","datePublished":"2015-08-07T20:07:58.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T08:06:19.495Z","description":"The app is getting even better","url":"https://time.com/3989509/google-maps-ios-upgrade/","keywords":["Tech","Google","Google Maps","Travel","pubdesk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ed534d334a601bc/69885c030a4a2270729c541d/gettyimages-158329781.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Benjamin Snyder/Fortune","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/benjamin-snyderfortune/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ed534d334a601bc/69885c030a4a2270729c541d/gettyimages-158329781.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Google Maps Returns To Apple's iPhone","caption":"Google Maps Returns To Apple's iPhone","creditText":"Justin Sullivan—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3989509/google-maps-ios-upgrade/","name":"Google Maps For iOS Just Got The Most Useful New Feature"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Google Maps' New Feature Helps You Remember the Journey","description":"Google Maps' new Timeline feature lets users create a full map of everywhere they've travelled - as long as they share that data with Google.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Pf4N48EL/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-07-22T22:32:16.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Pf4N48EL.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3989509/google-maps-ios-upgrade/","duration":"PT1M17S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3989509/google-maps-ios-upgrade/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```