Immersive View is just one of the updates coming to Google Maps
Google has certainly been on a roll recently with the company launching update after update to its apps. Now it is the turn of Google Maps to get some love and updates.
For a start, Google wants us to start using Maps like we do Chrome. Search in Google Maps is evolving to give you even more answers to your questions, help you discover things to do, and get inspired.
Search in Maps for specific things like the best place to find “animal latte art” or “pumpkin patch with my dog,” and you’ll get photo-first results of what you’re looking for, chosen by AI and advanced image recognition models, based on the analysis of billions of photos shared by the Google Maps community.
You can also ask Maps to plan your weekend. So, if you’re in Tokyo, you could search for “things to do” to see thematic place suggestions like “anime”, “cherry blossoms” or “art exhibitions.” Tap on the places that interest you to learn more, and even save the options to a list if you want to check them out later.
These updates to Maps start rolling out in France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States this week and will be expanded to more countries over time.
Other updates include:
Immersive view arrives
Announced at I/O 2023, Immersive View for routes starts rolling out in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tokyo, and Venice on Android and iOS this week.
Want to bike somewhere in any of the 15 cities? Just request cycling directions, then tap the Immersive View preview to see your route in a stunning, multidimensional view from start to finish. You can prepare for each turn as if you were there with detailed, visual turn-by-turn directions, and use the time slider to plan when to head out based on helpful information, like simulated traffic and weather conditions. That way, you can easily avoid riding during rainy weather or heavy traffic.
“Search with Live View” is now “Lens in Maps”
Imagine you’ve just gotten out of the subway or a building in an unfamiliar part of town, simply tap the Lens icon in the search bar and lift your phone to find information about nearby ATMs, transit stations, restaurants, coffee shops, and stores.
Lens in Maps uses AI and augmented reality to help you quickly acclimate yourself and is coming to more than 50 new cities starting this week.
Get up-to-date traffic information as you drive
Google Maps will soon reflect the real world even more accurately, with updated colours and more realistic buildings to help you better orient yourself. Trying to exit an expressway but not sure when to filter left? You'll soon see improved lane details to help you feel prepared. These updates start rolling out in the coming months in 12 countries.
EV charging information so you never have range anxiety
Drivers on Android and iOS will now see charging station information, including whether a charger is compatible with their vehicle and whether the available chargers are fast, medium, or slow. You can also see when a charger was last used to help you avoid wasting time heading to a broken charger. These updates start rolling out globally on iOS and Android this week wherever EV charging station information is available.
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