Google Maps has been updated with new features to let users enjoy the Holidays safely and to get more done. Keeping the current health crisis in mind, the navigation app will show a more detailed COVID-19 layer, live crowdedness information, live status of takeout, and more. Currently, the new features are rolling out in select regions and each new update is released for iOS and Android devices.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over around the world, the new COVID-19 layers and information additions on the app are designed to let users celebrate the festive season with precautionary digital support. Google has introduced several new features on Google Maps to help users locate testing centers, health care facilities, and more. The company explains,
“This year, we’ve made it easier to find information that helps you stay safe, up-to-date, and connected. Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve added nearly 250 new features and improvements to Google Maps to help you adapt to this new normal—from live busyness information for millions of places, to the ability to easily see critical health and safety information at a glance.
And we’re continuing to invest in ways to keep information in Maps fresh, with over 50 million updates made to the map each day. Even as the holidays approach, we don’t plan on slowing down. If you need to be out and about this holiday season, here are four ways that Google Maps can help you get around safely and get things done.”
Google Maps is Updated for the Holidays
Here are four new features introduced on the navigation app:
- Updated COVID-19 Layer: iOS and Andriod users will see all-time detected cases in an area, and quick links to COVID resources from local authorities to know city-wise guidelines.
- Live Crowdedness Information: The feature will provide live information of public transit like bus, train and subway stations, so users can check the strength of the crowd present at their respective station before heading towards it and be helpful in maintaining social distancing. This feature will release globally on iOS and Android devices.
- Live Status of Takeouts and Deliveries: Right from the app, users will be able to track their takeout or delivery: the pickup time, arrival time, and wait time. They also get to see the delivery fee and will be able to easily reorder a favorite combination all from the Google Maps app. At the time of launch, this feature will be available in the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia, Brazil and India. The company has announced that once the restaurants will be safe for return, users will be able to see the statue of their reservation in 70 countries.
- Improved Google Assistant Driving Mode: For Android users in the United States, the voice assistant is updated to carry on various tasks in English while users concentrate on the road. The Google Assistant will send texts, make calls, voice notes, make and receive calls, play music and much more.
Google Maps is a free app available on iOS and Android devices and can be download from the App Store and Google Play, respectively. However, features vary as per the region and platform. The company write,
Over the past 15 years, Google Maps has used technology to bring helpful information about the real world right to your fingertips. To make sure that information is as accurate and up-to-date as possible, we rely on 170 billion high-definition Street View images from 87 countries, contributions from hundreds of millions of businesses and people using Google Maps, and authoritative data from more than 10,000 local governments, transit agencies and organizations.
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