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Google Maps Is Getting a Feature That Just Makes Sense These Days

2020 has been quite a nightmare so far, and now more than ever we need technology to lend us a hand for even the simplest things, such as avoiding a busy place.
Google Maps to display busyiness right on the map 3 photos
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Google Maps busyness indicatorsGoogle Maps busyness indicators
Google Maps, for example, has been able to do this for quite a while, as a simple search on the service and then a tap on a specific result allowed us to see how busy a location currently is in real-time.

But because this kind of feature is more important than ever this year, Google has decided to push things even further with a small update.

Google Maps will begin to show indicators as to how busy a location is right on the map, so you won’t need to tap each result to see such information. More specifically, if you search for coffee, Google Maps then displays all coffee places around you, and thanks to this update, you should then small indicators like not busy, busier than usual, and as busy as it gets right under the name of each location.

This way, it’s a lot easier and more convenient to choose where to go, all without expanding the details of the places that are displayed on Google Maps.

Furthermore, for those of us who use Google Maps for navigation, the Android and iOS mobile app will begin showing a busyness notification on the main screen when setting up a new route. So for example, if you want to go from your place to Starbucks and you configure the route in Google Maps, the app should then display a “Live” bar right below the address bar that shows the same busyness messages as above.

It remains to be seen if and when these messages also go live on the Android Auto and CarPlay versions of Google Maps, but they certainly make sense everywhere. The Android and iOS apps will be updated with the new feature shortly, Google says.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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