Google Maps Adds a Trio of New Features
Google Maps today unveiled a trio of new features to help users stay connected and coordinated.
"Whether you're checking out top landmarks in a new city, planning to hop on your bike, or hanging out with friends around town, these updates have you covered," Amanda Leicht Moore, director of product for Google Maps, wrote in an announcement(Opens in a new window).
Get into vacation mode with photorealistic aerial views of nearly 100 of the world's most popular landmarks in cities like Barcelona, London, New York, San Francisco, and Tokyo.
Search for landmarks in Google Maps' Photos section to see aerial views (where available), and get a sense for what the Empire State Building, Big Ben, or Alcatraz Island are like up close before adding them to your trip itinerary.
This marks Google Maps' first step toward creating what it called an "immersive view(Opens in a new window)" back in May, which pairs artificial intelligence with billions of high-definition Street View, satellite, and aerial images to create the new visuals.
Google Maps has been providing cycling directions for more than 12 years now. However, an increasing number of people are turning to sustainable transportation options like bikes, so Maps is improving the cycle route information it offers.
Based on city data, cartographic partners, and community feedback, Maps is launching new cycling information—complete with the ability to compare routes and see more granular details.
Choose a destination to determine whether you should prepare for heavy traffic, stairs, or steep hills, and find out what type of road you'll be using—a major thoroughfare or a local street.
Catching up with friends is getting easier thanks to the introduction of location sharing
Read more on pcmag.com
