Google Maps Now Allows You to Save Your Location Locally on Your Phone, No Cloud Required

In today’s world, keeping anything private can be tough, especially when it comes to our location. However, Google has introduced new location controls for Maps to give users more control over their data. Now, users can save their Timeline directly to their device rather than the cloud. The Timeline is an encrypted record of all the places a user has visited, and Location History needs to be turned on in order to activate it. The update also includes an auto-delete feature for Location History, which will delete data after three months instead of 18. Users have the ability to delete data at any time and turn off auto-delete. They can also turn Location History off completely. Google Maps will also offer a shortcut to access Location History and Timeline settings by clicking on the blue dot on the map. Additionally, users will be able to delete location-specific data such as searches, shares, and directions. These features and shortcuts will be available in the coming weeks on Android and iOS, with the ability to save Timeline data to the device coming within the next year.