People don't use Maps for navigation alone as of now. I use those overlays a lot on a day to day basis and burying them under some gesture is a terrible suggest

People don't use Maps for navigation alone as of now. I use those overlays a lot on a day to day basis and burying them under some gesture is a terrible suggestion. The product has evolved a lot since 2007 because user needs have changed towards discovery. Also as an outsider we do not have all the UX research that goes into a product and this is reflected in design suggestion changes made related to a lot of products.