Google Maps changes the way to hide the search bar and other UI elements
If you use Google Maps on your Android or iOS device, you might have noticed a change in how to hide the UI elements on the screen. Instead of tapping on the map, which was a simple gesture, you now have to swipe up on the search bar. Google tells you this with a prompt: “To see the full map, swipe up on the search bar.”
This change is not so user-friendly, as swiping up on the search bar is not a common or easy gesture. It also sometimes takes two swipes to hide everything. In addition, tapping on the map now places a pin right away, which might be annoying for some users.
The tap to hide gesture was a useful feature of Google Maps that many users liked. It is not clear why Google decided to get rid of it and replace it with another gesture. Some users have complained about this change in the Google Maps Help forum since February, but it seems to have become more widespread lately.
