Photo: Bogdan Popa/autoevolution/Google News Telegram channel/Android Police
Google keeps refining the experience with Google Maps, and sometimes, the easiest way to do this is by looking at the features the application already has on other platforms and bringing them to everybody else.
It's the case with the latest update for Google Maps on Android, as the Mountain View-based search giant has recently started experimenting with a feature that's been available on iPhones for approximately four years.
Google Maps for Android will soon be able to display real-time weather information for any location loaded in the app. Tapping the weather tile in the top left corner of the screen, where Google Maps displays the current temperature, expands weather information to show air quality and the full forecast.
The feature has been available for a long time for Apple users, but Google has until now ignored its platform. The rollout appears to be in the early stages, as only a handful of users confirmed the option to get the forecast, but it's probably a matter of time until the search giant brings the same feature to everybody on Android.
A weather forecast in Google Maps makes perfect sense for multiple reasons, but the most important is related to navigation.
The weather integration allows users to see the full weather information, including the forecast for the next few hours, not only for where they are when running the app but also for any other location they load in Google Maps. It means users can see the weather forecast for a potential destination or simply check the conditions for various locations along a route.
Users just need to tap a place on the map, with Google Maps updating the forecast automatically to display the expected conditions for the next few hours.
Google has so far remained tight-lipped on this update, but it's undoubtedly a welcome update. It's unclear when the rollout could begin, but it shouldn't take too long, given the first users have already spotted it in production builds of Google Maps.
Meanwhile, Google is also expanding the availability of other new-gen features. For instance, the company has announced that eco-friendly routing, which is already live in Europe, the United States, and Canada, will debut in India and support two-wheelers. With eco-friendly routes, drivers can navigate to a destination using a route that's not necessarily faster but helps reduce fuel consumption and the vehicle's carbon footprint.
Google's statistics show that this feature already works great, as since its launch in 2021, it has managed to reduce the carbon footprint by the equivalent of taking 500,000 vehicles off the road.
Google Maps will also get an immersive view for routes, allowing users to preview their routes using a realistic simulation that includes aerial imagery and street-level photos.
Google Maps for Android will soon be able to display real-time weather information for any location loaded in the app. Tapping the weather tile in the top left corner of the screen, where Google Maps displays the current temperature, expands weather information to show air quality and the full forecast.
The feature has been available for a long time for Apple users, but Google has until now ignored its platform. The rollout appears to be in the early stages, as only a handful of users confirmed the option to get the forecast, but it's probably a matter of time until the search giant brings the same feature to everybody on Android.
A weather forecast in Google Maps makes perfect sense for multiple reasons, but the most important is related to navigation.
The weather integration allows users to see the full weather information, including the forecast for the next few hours, not only for where they are when running the app but also for any other location they load in Google Maps. It means users can see the weather forecast for a potential destination or simply check the conditions for various locations along a route.
Users just need to tap a place on the map, with Google Maps updating the forecast automatically to display the expected conditions for the next few hours.
Google has so far remained tight-lipped on this update, but it's undoubtedly a welcome update. It's unclear when the rollout could begin, but it shouldn't take too long, given the first users have already spotted it in production builds of Google Maps.
Meanwhile, Google is also expanding the availability of other new-gen features. For instance, the company has announced that eco-friendly routing, which is already live in Europe, the United States, and Canada, will debut in India and support two-wheelers. With eco-friendly routes, drivers can navigate to a destination using a route that's not necessarily faster but helps reduce fuel consumption and the vehicle's carbon footprint.
Google's statistics show that this feature already works great, as since its launch in 2021, it has managed to reduce the carbon footprint by the equivalent of taking 500,000 vehicles off the road.
Google Maps will also get an immersive view for routes, allowing users to preview their routes using a realistic simulation that includes aerial imagery and street-level photos.
Google News