Google announced today that Google Maps Navigation is now available to devices running Android 1.6 (codename Donut). When first announced, it was only available with Google Android 2.0.
Google Maps Navigation is an internet-connected GPS system with voice guidance and automatic rerouting, all running on your mobile phone. Using Google services over your phone’s data connection brings important benefits to GPS navigation users, like using Google search (typed or spoken) to enter your destination; fresh map, business, and traffic data; and satellite and Street View imagery along your route.
The new version of Google Maps also comes with the Layers feature which lets you overlay additional information (like transit lines) on your maps.
Google Android 1.6 users (including those with T-Mobile myTouch 3G and the G1 handsets) can now download an updated version of Google Maps from Android Market to use Navigation. Note that it is only available in the U.S. for now and that a number of features like the ability to use the “navigate to” voice command are not available in the 1.6 version.