Google Maps is unveiling several new features that will help you kickstart post-pandemic life.
Perhaps the most innovate tweak is help navigating indoor spaces such as malls, airports and train stations.
A feature called Live View has been updated and now works indoors. It “overlays digital guides on top of the real world to provide directions as you look through your phone’s display,” reports CNBC.
That means if you are trying to reach your gate or a specific restaurant in the airport, arrows and other digital indicators will display on your phone to guide you to where you want to be.
Live View for Google Maps launched in 2019, but only worked outdoors at that time. This is the first time it’s available indoors. To use Live View, do the following:
- Search for something in Google Maps
- Tap “Directions”
- Tap the “Live View” option next to “Start”
Currently, the feature works on Android and Apple devices in “a number of malls in Chicago, Long Island, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, San Jose, and Seattle,” Google says. In coming months, it will work in “select airports, malls, and transit stations in Tokyo and Zurich, with more cities on the way.”
Other new Google Maps features include:
- Air quality information, which starts rolling out in the coming months
- Suggestions for the most eco-friendly route when driving, which launch later this year
- Integration with grocery stores for curbside pickup, with a pilot program that starts this summer in Portland, Oregon
If you are thinking about traveling again after a year stuck at home, check out “Airlines Enticing Travelers With New Routes, Cheaper Fares.”
Also, stop by Money Talks News’ Solutions Center and check out the best hand-picked travel deals from ShermansTravel.
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