Google Maps Launches Cool New Feature For Travelers - Travel Off Path

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This year, Google has been making significant updates on its products and services that benefit travelers and provide interesting information about new destinations.

A few months ago, Google relaunched Google Travel, an app previously known as Google Trips, to help users plan their next trips and book hotels and flights, and now the company has released four new cool features for Google Maps. 

person using Google Maps in a cafe

According to the official information shared by Google, the new updates hope to make Maps look and feel more real, including more "immersive" content and experiences. These are the four main features: 

  • A "vibe check" before visiting a destination.
  • 250 landmark aerial views around the world.
  • A new type of search with Live View.
  • The expansion of the eco-friendly routing service.
Google Maps car getting images of the streets

Here are more details about the new features and how these can help travelers get helpful insights and improve their travel experiences:

Travelers Can "Vibe Check" Before Visiting

The "vibe check" will allow users to virtually explore a neighborhood in their destination and get an interesting display of images—like a social media app—  and valuable information shared by users and processed by artificial intelligence about the place and the best things to do there. 

elegant woman using phone next to the Eiffel tower

"You can quickly know if a neighborhood is artsy or has an exciting food scene so you can make an informed decision on how to spend your time," wrote Chris Phillips, Google's VP & General Manager, Geo, referring to the featured in an example about Paris. The "vibe" update will start to roll out globally in the next months on iOS and Android.

Prepare For The Big Landmarks

With the immersive view feature, users will now be able to see "over 250 photorealistic aerial views of global landmarks". Besides helping travelers to daydream about their next travel destination, in real life, the feature can be very useful since it can show not only the tower or the monument you are visiting, but also if there are shops or services nearby and an idea of the atmosphere surrounding the place. 

Statue and people near Oracle Park in San Francisco

The feature considers recent trends and can predict the conditions of the destination the next day, week, or month. Phillips explained more: "If you're visiting San Francisco and want to visit Oracle Park, you'll have all the information you need to plan your day. You'll be able to see where the parking lots and entrances are and if the weather will be chilly on game day so you can bring a jacket."

Young Asian Man Using His Phone As He Waits Outside The Terminal Of An International Airport

Through the street-level view, travelers will also get to see what restaurants are nearby and even check for crowds and virtually travel to get a glance at how the place looks inside. This new feature will work on Android and iOS and will be available for users within the next few months in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, New York, and Tokyo. 

Better Augmented Reality With Live View

Many travelers rely heavily on Google Maps when visiting a new destination—and even in their own home cities— to find restaurants, shops, landmarks, or hotels. With the new update, they can open Google Maps, lift their mobiles, and tap on the Live View option to reveal an improved augmented reality experience. 

Woman holding phone in New York

With this new feature, users get to see the type of buildings and businesses available nearby, a quick review, and all the traditional information currently available on Google Maps. It can be useful if you want to grab something to eat before you reach your destination or quickly check if there is a pharmacy or a bank around you. 

For now, this Live View feature will begin to work for Android and iOS users in Tokyo, London, Paris, New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Travelers observing the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco

The only new feature that is not that useful for travelers is the expansion of the eco-friendly routing service because it is addressed to companies and delivery services. Users can already find eco-friendly and fuel-efficient routes in the U.S., Canada, and Europe through Google Maps.

Driver using phone map to confirm destination

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