Photo: Jane Manchun Wong
Google has silently started working on a series of new Google Maps features, and they include not only small refinements to the UI but also new capabilities to help with the daily commute.
First and foremost, the new features.
According to information shared by Jane Manchun Wong on Twitter, Google Maps could soon get a new feature that is called “Connections to Public Transit.”
While the name of the whole thing is pretty self-explanatory, its purpose is to give Google Maps users the option to configure a more complex daily commuting routine. So for example, if you drive your car to a park and ride spot and then continue the commute using public transportation, you can just pick the “Car + transit” option and then let Google Maps suggest the best route for you.
The same thing for bicycles and motorcycles, as these will also be supported in the coming updates.
Furthermore, Google Maps will also come with support for ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber, so if you want to mix them with public transportation, you can do this too.
And this is why Google is also working to make the integration of such services in Google Maps more seamless, and in the future, the app will be able to provide you with more accurate fares without having to close it.
As for the UI improvements, Google is making refinements in the search bar, with the account profile picture now integrated into the box and using a colored border that’s inspired by the Google logo.
For the time being, these improvements are still part of a private beta test, which means that they’re not even available in a public beta build. So no, you can’t take them for a spin right now, but I expect all the things here to go live gradually in the upcoming months first in the beta builds and then in the stable releases.
According to information shared by Jane Manchun Wong on Twitter, Google Maps could soon get a new feature that is called “Connections to Public Transit.”
While the name of the whole thing is pretty self-explanatory, its purpose is to give Google Maps users the option to configure a more complex daily commuting routine. So for example, if you drive your car to a park and ride spot and then continue the commute using public transportation, you can just pick the “Car + transit” option and then let Google Maps suggest the best route for you.
The same thing for bicycles and motorcycles, as these will also be supported in the coming updates.
Furthermore, Google Maps will also come with support for ride-sharing services like Lyft and Uber, so if you want to mix them with public transportation, you can do this too.
And this is why Google is also working to make the integration of such services in Google Maps more seamless, and in the future, the app will be able to provide you with more accurate fares without having to close it.
As for the UI improvements, Google is making refinements in the search bar, with the account profile picture now integrated into the box and using a colored border that’s inspired by the Google logo.
For the time being, these improvements are still part of a private beta test, which means that they’re not even available in a public beta build. So no, you can’t take them for a spin right now, but I expect all the things here to go live gradually in the upcoming months first in the beta builds and then in the stable releases.
Google Maps is working on route options with “Connections to Public Transit”, such as:
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) June 20, 2020
- Car + transit
- Bicycle + transit
- Auto rickshaw
- Ride service
- Motorcycle + transit pic.twitter.com/hLlCZJG7Av
Google News