Here's why Google Maps suddenly lost music controls on Android
What's the story
Google Maps users have reported a major issue with the navigation app, where media playback controls for YouTube Music and Spotify are missing on Android devices. The problem was first spotted in the stable version of Google Maps 25.28 and its beta counterpart 25.29. The media controls are designed to work with apps like YouTube Music and Spotify while navigating, allowing users to play, pause, or skip songs without leaving the navigation interface.
Company response
Google confirms it's a bug
In response to the issue, Google has confirmed that the disappearance of media playback controls is indeed a bug. The tech giant said it is "actively working to fix an issue that is affecting media playback controls on Google Maps." The company didn't provide a timeline for when this problem would be fixed, but its acknowledgment shows that resolving this issue is a priority for them.
Functionality
How media controls work in Google Maps
The media controls in Google Maps are designed to work seamlessly with apps like YouTube Music and Spotify. When navigating, a bar appears at the bottom of the screen showing the album cover, song name, and artist on one side. On the other side, users can play/pause/skip songs or see song suggestions for quick track changes. There's also a shortcut to open YouTube Music directly from Google Maps.
Update
Meanwhile, Google Maps for iPhone gets new screenshot feature
Along with addressing the bug, Google has also rolled out a new feature for iPhone users of Google Maps. The update lets you save locations directly by scanning screenshots. Powered by Google's image recognition technology, this feature detects addresses or places in screenshots and prompts users to add them to their saved locations in Google Maps. This eliminates the need to manually search for locations captured while on-the-go or browsing the web.