Photo: Google
Google Maps has been a pretty handy tool since the global health issue started in early 2020, especially as Google introduced new features to help us get critical information for each specific region and visit certain locations while also maintaining social distancing.
One of the updates that helped with this was a busyness indicator for shops, bars, and restaurants, with Google Maps essentially showing how crowded a specific place was to help others always stay in the know and avoid busy times.
It’s the new world, and just like us, the search giant is trying to adapt with updates that make sense for everybody, no matter where they live. And now Google is ready to take the whole thing to a completely new level. The company is updating its busyness feature bundled with Google Maps to display information not only for stores and restaurants but for entire areas on the map.
In other words, Google Maps will be able to show you how crowded a specific region on the map is at any given point, therefore helping you decide it’s safe to go there or not.
Called Area Busyness, the new feature will be enabled by default on Google Maps, with small indicators like “Busier than usual” and “As busy as it gets” to show up right on the map alongside the other indicators you typically find within the app.
Google Maps will also use an outline to mark the location you’re getting the information for, therefore making it a little bit easier for pedestrians to avoid these areas.
Needless to say, this update will launch on both iPhone and Android, though Google says the whole thing will become available in the coming months, with no specific ETA currently available. However, the rollout will probably take place gradually, starting with the United States.
It’s the new world, and just like us, the search giant is trying to adapt with updates that make sense for everybody, no matter where they live. And now Google is ready to take the whole thing to a completely new level. The company is updating its busyness feature bundled with Google Maps to display information not only for stores and restaurants but for entire areas on the map.
In other words, Google Maps will be able to show you how crowded a specific region on the map is at any given point, therefore helping you decide it’s safe to go there or not.
Called Area Busyness, the new feature will be enabled by default on Google Maps, with small indicators like “Busier than usual” and “As busy as it gets” to show up right on the map alongside the other indicators you typically find within the app.
Google Maps will also use an outline to mark the location you’re getting the information for, therefore making it a little bit easier for pedestrians to avoid these areas.
Needless to say, this update will launch on both iPhone and Android, though Google says the whole thing will become available in the coming months, with no specific ETA currently available. However, the rollout will probably take place gradually, starting with the United States.
Google News