Google has removed the “Show media playback controls” toggle from its navigation settings in Android maps, a change that’s left many users frustrated. The move also eliminates the option to choose between YouTube Music and Spotify as default music apps.
The removal was noticed by 9to5Google, which reported that the toggle is gone from both the stable version of Google Maps for Android (version 25.28) and the beta version (version 25.29). This change means users on Android will have to rely on standard app controls for music playback during navigation.
Although media controls are still available on iOS maps, users relying on smartphone-based navigation may find this change inconvenient. The removal of these features has sparked concerns among frequent Google Maps users, who hope for clarification on the reason behind this change.
Google replaced its Assistant Driving Mode with Gemini as part of its Android update efforts. However, it’s unclear what a Gemini-based Driving Mode will look like when (and if) it’s rolled out to users.
Source: https://www.androidpolice.com/google-maps-android-media-playback-controls-navigation-gone