Google Maps loses music playback feature on Samsung Galaxy, Nothing, Pixel and other Android phones, fix underway

A recent glitch in Google Maps has left Android users without one of the app’s most convenient features: in-app media controls. The issue, first spotted in versions 25.28 (stable) and 25.29 (beta), caused the media playback toolbar, used to control music from apps like YouTube Music and Spotify, to vanish entirely during navigation.

Missing media controls frustrate users
Ordinarily, Google Maps includes a compact media player on the navigation screen, allowing users to pause, skip, or play music without switching apps.