At the beginning of the year, an updated version of Google Maps will start helpfully adding common landmarks or area references to any location pins you share with friends or family.
New Delhi: Navigation apps are also necessary to get us from point A to point B, but they are not just for that purpose. For Google, the impetus also comes from the need to stay ahead of rival navigation apps increasingly aimed at public transport, as well as growing competition from rivals such as MapmyIndia Mappls in India and What3Words in the UK. They took a big step forward this week, with a series of updates to Google Maps (most of which are rolling out in January 2024), defining experience and relevance. In a way, this highlights the trajectory of Google Maps in India and how it will define the development for the world.
Here’s a look at the evolution of Google Maps, highlighting artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR). At the start of the year, an updated version of Google Maps will start helpfully adding common landmarks or area references to any addresses you share with friends or family (this can be done through any means, including WhatsApp messages). Building on Street View, the integration of Google Lens functionality will allow users to simply point their phone’s camera through the Maps app to see overlays pointing to shops, restaurants, cafes and other attractions. Other points of interest, important nearby locations as well as details such as location opening hours and ratings.
Walking navigation is getting its biggest update in years, as is public transport with new city additions (Mumbai and Kolkata, just as importantly) to metro trips on the app Where Is My Train. Fuel-efficient routes will also be based on innovative algorithms to determine the best possible route based on the fuel type for your specific mode of transport, taking into account intersections, elevation changes as well as real-time traffic and traffic data. This may seem like a one-size-fits-all solution, but it’s not: two-wheeler-specific instructions will work differently than those for cars. This particular feature was first launched in India and Indonesia.
This is an increasingly relevant topic, with Google setting the trend for India and therefore for the global growth of Google Maps. Miriam Daniel, vice president and general manager of Google Maps at Google, said in an interview with HT: “We think the next frontier for Google Maps is helping people go from knowing about a place to really experience it.” “We also strive to meet India’s diverse mobility needs, from sustainable travel to public transport,” she added. Excerpts have been edited.
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