By Stephen Schenck | March 5, 2013 12:16 PM
Last year, following the much maligned launch of iOS 6 and the new Google-less Maps, Google came to the rescue of Apple users and released a stand-alone version of Google Maps. Today, that app gets its first update, bringing the build up to 1.1 and introducing some improved search functionality, availability in new nations, and integration with your Contacts.
Now when you search for the name of someone stored in your Google Contacts, Google Maps will offer to help locate their address.
As for local search, this release introduces icons for places of interest you can tap to quickly bring up the locations of business like cafes or gas stations in your immediate area.
While Google Maps 1.1 doesn’t introduce any new language options, it is now available (in English, at least) for interested users living in Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Altogether, not nearly the earth-shattering debut the original version of the app made, but a decent enough collection of features, all the same.
