Photo: Google
Finding a certain location where you’re supposed to meet someone is a lot easier thanks to a new Google Maps feature available exclusively for the Google Pixel on Android 11.
Beginning with this new version of Google’s mobile operating system, the location sharing tool is available right in the Live View mode, which technically means that you could be able to see the point where the other contact currently is in real time using your phone’s camera.
The feature works pretty simple and only requires you to launch the Live View mode on your Android phone after someone sends you their location.
Using the phone’s camera to scan your surroundings, you should then be able to see the location of your contact and you can just walk towards them, with the meetup point to be updated in real time.
“If your friends have chosen to share their location with you, simply tap on their icon and then on Live View on the right side of your screen. You’ll see where they are in relation to you, along with how far away they are. Tapping on start will then show you arrows and directions placed right on top of your world so you can see exactly which way to go,” Matt Meffin, Technical Program Manager at Google, explains.
While Google has clearly said that this feature is currently available exclusively on the Google Pixel running Android 11, there’s a good chance it would arrive on other phones too. However, these Android devices need to support ARCore, but on the other hand, similar functionality could very well be released for Android 10 smartphones too.
For now, the Android 11 update is available on a series of other non-Pixel phones too, including models from OnePlus, OPPO, and Xiaomi, but this feature remains exclusive to Google devices.
It remains to be seen, however, if and when this Google Maps feature could make its way to other devices, especially as the Android 11 rollout advances.
The feature works pretty simple and only requires you to launch the Live View mode on your Android phone after someone sends you their location.
Using the phone’s camera to scan your surroundings, you should then be able to see the location of your contact and you can just walk towards them, with the meetup point to be updated in real time.
“If your friends have chosen to share their location with you, simply tap on their icon and then on Live View on the right side of your screen. You’ll see where they are in relation to you, along with how far away they are. Tapping on start will then show you arrows and directions placed right on top of your world so you can see exactly which way to go,” Matt Meffin, Technical Program Manager at Google, explains.
While Google has clearly said that this feature is currently available exclusively on the Google Pixel running Android 11, there’s a good chance it would arrive on other phones too. However, these Android devices need to support ARCore, but on the other hand, similar functionality could very well be released for Android 10 smartphones too.
For now, the Android 11 update is available on a series of other non-Pixel phones too, including models from OnePlus, OPPO, and Xiaomi, but this feature remains exclusive to Google devices.
It remains to be seen, however, if and when this Google Maps feature could make its way to other devices, especially as the Android 11 rollout advances.
Google News