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Why does Google Maps only rotate 90º but not 180º when I rotate my iPhone?

video of phone rotating 90 but not 180º

Obviously, I haven't "locked" the rotation. You can see it rotating the first 90 degrees.

In my car, I prefer to have my phone in the cup-holder.

When I need to plug it in, this means the phone will be "upside down", so I'd like Google Maps to fully rotate to be readable.

I have an iPhone 12 mini with iOS 17.5.1 and Google Maps 6.122.1.69910 (i.e. updated recently).

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2 Answers 2

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Apps specify the orientations they support using UISupportedInterfaceOrientation. Even if the Google Maps app declared support for the portrait upside down orientation, iOS does not permit this orientation on iPhones with Face ID.

UIInterfaceOrientationPortraitUpsideDown
The app supports the display in portrait mode but is upside down, with the device upright and the front camera at the bottom. UIViewController ignores this option on devices without a Home button.

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    "iOS does not permit this orientation on iPhones with Face ID" you've got to be kidding... So newer technologies are downgrading your phone into being less useful. I am sticking with SEs for as long as I can.
    – Vanity Slug - codidact.com
    Commented Jul 8 at 14:15
  • But I doubt Google Maps would support upside down portrait - it doesn't on Android (neither does anything else I've tested)
    – Chris H
    Commented Jul 8 at 14:45
  • @VanitySlug-codidact.com In most (> 90%) iPhone apps that I've seen so far, this option is not supported by the developer, i.e. they declared that they don't want the app to rotate 180°. Which is a really good choice in my opinion because iPhones do not have a landscape-orientation-lock. So in this case, it's not Apple to blame.
    – return true
    Commented Jul 8 at 15:43
  • Nuh, there is no logical reason for this to be a good choice.
    – Vanity Slug - codidact.com
    Commented Jul 8 at 16:23
  • @ChrisH Probably because Android itself does not consider this a valid device orientation (that is, anything past the trip point for landscape orientation counts as landscape, up until 180 degrees where it flips to the other landscape orientation). Which, in turn, kind explains why many apps that support both platforms would not support this orientation, it would add yet another edge case that differs between the two platforms, for very little practical benefit (the very specific example in the question is just about the only case I would ever thing anybody is likely to care about this).
    – Austin Hemmelgarn
    Commented Jul 8 at 17:04
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If you are using maps in a moving car, get a dash or vent mount so that the map is nearer to driving eye level.

In my location, you would get caught by the "anti-phone use whilst driving" cameras and fined.

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    I appreciate your concern for my safety or at least my avoiding of fines. However, I've tried the other types of mounts and still actually prefer NOT having the phone distract me from the road (which it would do if it takes up more of my view). I mostly rely on the audio, and I can look down at the phone when safely stopped (e.g. at a light). I'm looking for an actual answer about Google Maps.
    – Ryan
    Commented Jul 7 at 3:15
  • @Ryan. I did also try Apple Maps, Waze and Google Earth. They also don't do what you want. And, I do agree that my answer was not really an answer to your question as put :)
    – Gilby
    Commented Jul 7 at 10:21

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