Many of us have been there: walking back from a restaurant late at night or searching for our hotel after a long day of travel—phone battery hanging by a thread. As you rush to get where you’re going, Google Maps becomes both your guide and your worst enemy, draining those last few precious percentage points. Google, it seems, has finally noticed this all-too-common struggle.
As part of the November Pixel Drop, rolling out this week, Google is introducing a new power-saving mode for Google Maps. The company says this feature can extend battery life by up to four hours during navigation. Once activated with a single tap, Maps switches from its usual bright, data-heavy layout to a minimalist black-and-white interface that displays only the most essential information—directions, distance, and key route details.
It’s a clever solution, especially for travelers and commuters. The catch? The new mode is currently exclusive to the Pixel 10 lineup. That means only owners of the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold can try it right now.
So, will other devices get this feature? Google hasn’t confirmed anything yet. Still, the company often expands its Pixel Drop additions to older models over time. Some industry watchers suspect this could be part of a broader push to improve battery performance in Android 17, though Google hasn’t made any official announcements about that version of the OS.
For now, Pixel 10 users can enjoy the new Maps power-saving mode by downloading the latest Pixel update, available now. And if you’re curious about the other features arriving in this month’s Pixel Drop, Google has packed in several updates that hint at what’s ahead for Pixel devices.
