Google Maps is getting a bunch of new features. In order to provide a real look at the locations, Google added aerial, immersive views of around 100 of the world’s most popular landmarks. With the latest update, Google Maps will also show turn-by-turn cycling directions for cyclists indicating any stairs or steep hills in their direction. Additionally, the location sharing feature on the platform is improving with the addition of arrival and departure notifications.
Google, owned by Alphabet, via a blog post on Wednesday detailed all the new features that Google Maps is rolling out for users. To provide an enhanced digital model of buildings and streets around the world, the search giant added photorealistic aerial views of nearly 100 popular landmarks in cities including Barcelona, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo. directly on Google Maps. Aerial views are a first step towards launching the immersive view feature that the company showed off at the Google I/O event in May. It combines Street View and aerial imagery with advances in computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide the digital model for virtual maps.
Travelers can search for a landmark in Google Maps and head to the Photos section to see an aerial view of it. Besides landmarks, Google Maps aims to provide a rich view of a neighborhood, restaurant, or popular places with an immersive visual experience.
After the release of the lightweight navigation feature, Google is upgrading cycling navigation with advanced features. It will show important details of the travel route, including heavy car traffic and stairs or steep grades in the direction. Riders can also see a detailed breakdown of the route itself, and they can compare bike routes to prepare for the ride ahead. These will start rolling out in the coming weeks in cities where Google Map bike directions are available.
Moreover, Google brings arrival and departure notifications for a particular location with the location sharing feature of Google Map. This would let you know when a friend arrives or leaves a particular location. Notifications can only be set for someone who has already chosen to share their location with you. iPhone maker Apple also offers a similar feature with the Find My app.
New landmark aerial views and location sharing notifications are now rolling out globally to Google Maps for Android and iOS.
Tech
