Google Maps version 2.0 is now available for the iPhone and your iPad as well. You can download the updated Maps app from the iTunes Store.

One of the most useful feature of the new Google Maps app is that you can download any area of the map for offline use. The offline mode has been available on Google Maps for Android for some time and now iOS users too will be able to navigate the maps without using data or in areas that have no cellular connectivity.

How do you download an area on Google Maps? That’s a little tricky.

Search for a place in Google Maps and zoom in such that all the area that you wish to cache locally is visible on the screen. Now tap the search box and type “ok maps” without the quotes. Tap the Search button on the keyboard and all the visible area will download to your iOS device almost instantly.

You cannot cache a large area of the map in one go but you can obviously divide that area into multiple parts, virtually, and download them one after other. ↓