google_logoA couple of days back, Google made a few updates to Google Maps for Android-based phones and made it available as an upgrade. The GoogleMobile states that the Android version of Google Maps gets quite a lot of features. Besides this issues that were found with Google Latitude have been fixed.

One of the most interesting feature is the added ability to search Google Maps using voice as the source of input. This vocal based search makes it easier than ever before to look up and navigate to various places. The voice recognition engine behind Google Maps currenty understand English spoken in American, Australian and British accents. After providing or should I say speaking out your search query you will see a list of places that match your vocal input.

Google Maps for Android also gets transit and walking direction features. You can get walking directions and transit directions using public transportation for around 250 cities that incude New York as well. As we said in the beginning, Google Latitude gets major improvements. There was an issue in which periodic updates of background locations stopped for few people. With this issue fixed, when you select “Detect your location” from the Latitude privacy menu,  your location will continue to update provided your phone is not powered off.

Google Maps gets an experimental feature called Updates. This feature makes it possible for you to communicate with your friend and loved ones and post messages. To use this feature, just start Google Latitude and click on the Updates tab to send updates to friends when they are at interesting locations, start a conversation or just add more details to your Latitude location for your friends to see.

Unlike the previous Android updates, to get this update you wont be getting it automatically onto your phone. Instead you will be required to download it from the Android Market.