Google Maps gets more immersive view features

With new features, Google Maps will be able to deliver hassle-free travelling experience in exotic places

Google Maps is the go-to navigation for most phone users around the world. The key reasons for such popularity are that the app offers a simple user interface and there are several value-added features such as the live view that offers direction graphics overlayed on the map for easy navigation and immersive view offering multi-directional 3D effect.

Now, Google is improving the Maps with more value-added features in the coming months.

Leveraging on the latest advancements in computer vision and predictive models, the company promises to offer an intuitive navigation experience and ensure people who have never visited a place before, be comfortable exploring it as they had already been there before.

Google is apparently getting around 20 million contributions voluntarily from users (local and foreign) in form of reviews of a particular place each day and with AI, it can generate recommendations on the Maps app for users.

Google Maps neighbourhood vibe features. Credit: Google

The Maps app will soon get the Neighbourhood Vibe feature that would suggest the best places to visit when they arrive in a new city. It will offer colorful and informative photos of the most popular spots and also reveal if the area is good for food or arts. It gives an idea of whether a place, is good for social gatherings or not.

During the I/O 2022, Google announced Immersive View for Maps app. It offers multi-dimensional views of an area with important details such as the weather, traffic, and busyness layered on top of a live view of the street. However, it was limited to North America.

Now, Google is bringing 250 plus photorealistic aerial views of global landmarks that span wider geographies from the Tokyo Tower to the Acropolis of Athens.

Google Maps is not just adding new places, but also getting smarter too. Based on historical trends of the particular, the navigation app will offer predictions on how the place will look and what new things to look forward to tomorrow, next week, and even next month.

Immersive Live View with aerial vision. Credit: Google

For instance, if the user plans a visit a zoo the next day, Google Maps will offer critical details such as the view entrance, the parking lot, and the weather too. With such information, the family can cover all aspects of the trip and has hassle-free family time at the zoo. The new update is coming to Google Maps in more regions including Los Angeles, London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo on Android and iOS.

Three years ago, Google introduced Live View with direction graphics overlay on the street maps. Soon, it will get better with the addition of new features such as pictures of coffee shops, grocery stores, and transit stations. That's not all, graphics will also show the shop's opening and closing timings and transit stations route timings too, and how busy the place is.

For instance, if a user wants to find an ATM nearby, he/she just has to lift the phone and open Live View for ATMs on Google Maps, and instantly be able to see the ATMs in an area.

Users can jus lift the phone to explore nearby places with a search with Live View. Credit: Google

Recently, Google introduced alternate short route features in U.S., Canada, and Europe. This helps users avoid long commutes and in a way saves them a lot of fuel. It not only helps users save money for extra gas but is also good for the environment with less pollution.

Now, Google wants to offer this service to third-party apps such as ride-hailing and food ordering series to use this Google Maps to save fuel consumption and overall costs to the companies.

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