The traditional phone form factor might feel like yesterday, following the introduction of the iPhone Duo, but Xiaomi is one of the companies that are trying to improve this design with every generation. The Xiaomi 17 Pro came with a screen on the back in that small bump where your iPhone holds the camera, so the bump wasn’t just a waste of space.
With the Xiaomi 18 Pro now around the corner, this clever design is back in the spotlight. The upcoming model will also sport a display on the back, and according to recent teasers posted by Xiaomi online, it’ll actually be used for some pretty useful things.
One of them is showing Google Maps directions when navigation is active. It’ll also show Spotify and YouTube Music playback controls, so you can just tap the screen to change the song.
For Google Maps, you’ll see your next turn along with the distance to this next turn. As you probably know already, especially if you’re holding a new-generation iPhone in your hand right now, that bump on the back doesn’t allow for a large display, so Xiaomi is trying to use the limited screen estate as effectively as possible.
In case you’re wondering why it would ever make sense to have Google Maps on the back of your phone given you can always run it on the larger, full-size screen on the front, the answer comes down to a different scenario that’s not necessarily related to driving. Instead of using the full screen, which would obviously eat up more battery, you can keep it on the back specifically for those cases when you’re walking around and need instructions to find a destination.
Instead of keeping the entire screen active - when we all know that screens are the number one battery hogs on new-generation phones, especially given they are getting bigger with every new release - you can just run Google Maps on that small display on the back. Sure, you’re not getting a ton of information, but the essential data is there, and you could very well use it for simple things that wouldn’t require the full screen.
Playback controls make even more sense than Google Maps, as you can just see the song name, the artwork, and be able to pause the tune and skip to the next song instantly.
Xiaomi will take the wraps off the new Xiaomi 18 Pro Series on November 17, so we’ll find out more details about this new-generation feature in just a few days. This time, the new model will probably be available worldwide, so you will be able to get your hands on it in most markets.
Other Google Maps features currently in the works
Meanwhile, those whose phones don’t have a screen on the back have other reasons to be happy. One of these reasons is that Google is working on a major overhaul of the experience with Google Maps.
It’s called immersive navigation, and Google itself described it as “the biggest Google Maps update in over a decade.” It’ll include highly detailed maps with see-through overpasses, 3D buildings, landmarks, sidewalks, crosswalks, trees, and many other details that’ll make the navigation experience feel more realistic.
Gemini is also playing a key role in this new-generation navigation experience. It’ll be in charge of more detailed turn-by-turn directions that will no longer rely solely on distance but will also integrate landmarks to make following a route more straightforward. Gemini will analyze the route, look for landmarks, and update the instructions to include them in next-turn guidance.
A recent patent that autoevolution discovered suggested that Google could evolve this feature with the addition of 360-degree landmarks. With this update, Gemini would provide turn-by-turn instructions that would include landmarks that you can observe from your car even if they’re not necessarily on your route. For example, it can tell you something like “drive in the opposite direction from the stadium” in an attempt to make following the route more straightforward.
The immersive navigation update has already shipped for users in the United States, but the availability continues to be very limited, considering the amount of work and resources involved in this update. However, Google still promised to bring it to more regions as soon as possible, so I expect 2027 to be the year when the immersive navigation update goes live for users in Europe and in other non-American markets.
The update experience will be available on Android and iPhone, but it will also go live on Android Auto and CarPlay in those regions where it is supported. It doesn’t require any change on your device, as Google enables it automatically with a server-side update, so it’s not linked to a specific Google Maps version shipped to your Android smartphone or iPhone.
However, keeping Google Maps up-to-date is always a good idea, including for features such as the ones that will soon debut on Xiaomi’s new flagships.
