Google now lets you view custom maps in the main Android Maps app

Google has taken another small step to integrating its custom maps feature into its main Maps app. User-created maps can now be viewed in the Android Maps app, but can’t, unfortunately, be edited. Creating and editing maps can only be done via the web or in the standalone My Maps app. Here, users can place custom markers, group them into different layers, plot routes, and share maps for collaborative editing. It’s not a well-known feature but it’s a useful one, handy for planning holidays and business trips.

Google’s custom maps have always been a bit neglected. The feature has been bounced around from place to place in the company’s mapping portfolio, briefly appearing under the title “Google Maps Engine Lite” before being rebranded to My Maps. Now, however, it looks like Google might be slowly integrating custom maps into its primary Maps offering. A safe home at last? Let’s see.