Google Maps on iOS update brightens up late-night journeys with Night Mode — by making things darker

Rather than being blinded by a stark white screen, Night Mode opts for a darker contrast to reduce screen glare

Apple sold 44 million iPhones between January and March (Getty Images)

The latest update to Google Maps on iOS brings a Night Mode feature that is attempting to reduce the number of people driving under the influence of eye strain thanks to their previously blindingly-white Maps app.

While users previously found themselves having to manually dial back the brightness option on their iPhones, lost night-owls and evening commuters will now be treated to darker shades on their Google Maps app as it automatically adjusts to this mode after dark as long as the phone is in turn-by-turn navigation mode.

Rather than use the iPhone’s ambient light sensor, Night Mode activates at night based on the phone’s time setting and in its current build there is no way to turn off the feature.

As well as Night Mode, the latest update of Google Maps on iOS also adds the ability to label places to see them on the map and in search suggestions, editing options for posted photo captions and contains various bug fixes.

Google Maps remains the popular alternative to the Cupertino-based giant’s proprietary maps application Apple Maps which suffered from a controversial and much-maligned launch in 2012.

Apple’s latest iPhone and iPad software update iOS 9 — set for public release alongside the next iPhone, in September - looks set to upgrade its own Apple Maps application by adding public transport.