What you need to know
- Google released a trifecta of updates for Maps.
- Google Maps gains a new immersive for users to "visit" a landmark on their phone through photorealistic aerial views.
- Biking routes are set to gain more information in the coming weeks, such as route details and what obstacles may be in your way.
- The share location feature will allow a person to set a notification that lets them know when their loved one has arrived at a set destination.
Google Maps hits a triple with its recent updates to better improve share location and more information while traveling throughout the year. A lot of people travel during the summer, and Google's recent launch of a few updates to Maps aims to make it a little easier. Today, Google brought features that improve its immersive view, biking route information, and location sharing.
The first new feature aims to help users "experience global landmarks in a whole new way," thanks to Google's new immersive view announced at I/O. According to the company, it brings "photorealistic aerial views of nearly 100 of the world's most popular landmarks." The imaging, powered by AI using street views and other aerial imaging, should give people a good look at a landmark on their phone without ever needing to physically be there. Google is looking at this to help people determine whether or not their next trip should land them there.
The next feature looks to bring more details to cycling routes. Google has added a way for users to compare biking routes and view details such as elevation, traffic, and potential obstacles like stairs or steep hills. Google Maps will also inform you if your biking route will take you on a main or side street.
The last feature coming to Maps gives its location sharing feature a helpful social upgrade. Sharing your location with a person or several people on Google Maps allows you to see where they are, the battery percentage of their phone, and the address of where they may be. This new update improves upon those key elements by allowing users to set a notification for the person who's shared their location with them; that way, they will know when that person has arrived at or left a location.
Google says its taken security measures to ensure that only the person you've shared your location with will receive this notification if they have one set. That person will receive two notifications: one as a push notification and the other as an email. Also, Google will also let the person sharing their location know if someone has set a notification about them arriving at a particular destination.
Users still have the option of not sharing their location with someone if they do not want certain information to be known.
Google has begun rolling out the updates for the share location feature and landmarks globally on Android phones and iOS. However, the new biking route information is set to come in the weeks ahead where available.
