It is one of those functions, like so many others, that Google pulls itself out of its sleeve and that no one else seems to think of. A priori, it can give the feeling of being a very superficial option and that it does not add much value to the application. As soon as we explain what it is for and its potential uses, the point of view will surely change.
What is the Google Maps split screen?
We are going to put the what before the what for. The bottom line for this feature is that the Street View tool, by itself, is not useful for navigation. It is necessary to see addresses or places in a more specific way and in real size, but it is not efficient because we do not have that overhead view that the navigator gives us to follow the directions while driving or walking. This causes us to have to change from one mode to another constantly, so this function will help both of them coexist on the same screen.
This update of Google Maps for Android has introduced splitscreen in Street View, a feature that allows you to see the street in real image at the top of the mobile screen and the map with the directions at the bottom. The truth is that it is an adjustable option, since you have the possibility to see Street View in full screen, although a bar with the map is shown at the bottom, in case you want to retrieve it and enlarge it.
How to split the screen with Street View
The first thing you should do is open Google Maps, and once inside, click on a location that you want to view. Once you have marked a place on the map, click on the Street View image that you initially have in small at the bottom left to enlarge it by moving it to the foreground. It appears just above the location tile, with a circular arrow.
Now, the Street View photo of the area you would have marked will be large, and will occupy the entire screen, being everything normal up to there. Once you are in this visualization, click on the icon of the two arrows that go towards each other meeting each other, which will appear at the bottom right of the screen. It is like an icon that wants to tell you that it will shrink the photo, like it is going to switch to something else.
What will happen when you press that button is that the Google Maps split screen will be activated. Once this happens, at the top you will see the 360-degree photo of Street View, and below you will see the map again of the application with the area where you are and the indication of the rest of the places where there are Street View photos. Both screens can be operated independently, although if you click on another point on the map, Street View will automatically go to that new point you have indicated. In this way, the function allows you to navigate in a more dynamic way and reach the destination with much less difficulty.
