The Best Features In The New Google Maps

In celebration of Google Maps’ 15th birthday, Google is updating the service with a new logo and icon, and it’s rolling out several new features for the app. Here’s everything included in the big update.

New and redesigned tabs

The biggest change in the new Google Maps is its updated UI. The app’s various features and pages have been organised into five new tabs that line the bottom of the app screen. Here’s what each one does:

• Explore: Offers reviews and recommendations for nearby restaurants, activities, and attractions.

• Commute: Gives directions to a location, travel time estimates, traffic alerts, and more.

• Saved: A customisable list of saved locations for quick access. The list can be organised by category and shared with others.

• Contribute: Submit reviews, photos, and other suggestions for places on Google Maps.

• Updates: A feed of recent reviews and other updates for places you have visited in the past, trending locations, and recommendations from Local Guides. You can also interact with businesses listed on Google Maps directly through this tab.

Live view assistance and transit attributes

Several helpful updates are also included in the 15th-anniversary redesign that will help you get around more effectively and safely.

The Live View mode, which offers real-time AR assistance when you’re walking to a location, will now show you the exact distance and direction of your destination.

For those who are travelling by public transportation, Google Maps now displays important information about the vehicles and facilities along your route. Google Maps already shows how crowded your route is but users can now find (and contribute) information about several other “transit attributes” like the current temperature in the bus or train; whether there are wheelchair and disability-accessible entries, seating, and other assistance; and if there’s security personal and other safety measures onboard.

Some regions will also list if there are designated sections for women and, in Japan, you’ll see how many train carriages are available on your route.