Google Maps is one of the most popular map services worldwide. An announced update for the application is now being implemented. In particular, the view of and in buildings should improve thanks to AI.
According to Statista, users in the US ranked Google Maps as the fourth most popular smartphone app in 2022. At the same time, the map service was the travel app with the most downloads worldwide last year. So the numbers show that the service is very popular with users. In order to make the use of Google Maps even better in the future and to offer users new functions, Google regularly provides updates for its map service. After a long announcement phase, “Immersive View” is a feature that many have been waiting for for a while.
Update: “Immersive View” in Google Maps is coming for numerous major cities
So far, the new feature called “Immersive View” was only available to a very limited extent. But now Google is beginning to gradually roll out the tool for more major cities. For example, a Reddit user reports that extensive recordings of London are now available. Her sample images include the London Eye and Westminster. Apparently, the tool also adapts to the times of day.
In Berlin you can already explore the first sights via “Immersive View”. One of the first was the Brandenburg Gate. In the meantime, however, the Victory Column, Checkpoint Charlie or the TV Tower are also available. However, the new function also seems to require some computing power. The smartphone got pretty warm.
4 new features for Google Maps
When implementing the new functions for maps, Google relies on artificial intelligence, or AI for short. For example, it combines existing Street View and aerial photos into a new, even more detailed view and supplements them with traffic and weather information. The information supplemented by the AI should also make navigating and exploring the environment even easier and more convenient.
The new functions for Google Maps are not all available at once. Rather, the group has already rolled out some – sometimes in the first cities – and will deliver the rest in the coming weeks and months.
Also read: Do you already know the hidden features of Google Maps?
Immersive view
Immersive View is one of the new features in Google Maps. It should enable users to explore areas and buildings as if they were there. For example, if you show a museum on the map, Google Maps not only shows details such as exits, stairs, etc. The view can also be changed according to the time of day using a slider. Then you can see virtually when there are a particularly large number of visitors and how full the museum is in certain areas.
The same can be projected onto restaurants. Not only can they be viewed from the outside via Street View, users can also enter them virtually and get an overview of the premises.
According to its own description in the blog, Google uses so-called neural radiation fields (NeRF) to make the immersive view as realistic as possible. This is an advanced AI technique that converts ordinary images into 3D representations. The end result is an extremely realistic view of the local conditions, including the individual lighting used on site, the texture of materials and what is in the background.
New way of navigating
Anyone who looks at an area on Google Maps has long seen important points such as parking lots, bus stations, shops and restaurants nearby. However, Google would like to improve the way it is displayed in maps thanks to a new AR and AI function. If you are looking for something with “Live View”, you only have to hold up your smartphone and thanks to the camera connection you will see a real-time image of the surroundings on the display.
The live view allows users to explore all corners of the environment and thus always discover new locations. All important shops, bars, stations or the like that are in the area are marked with a small dot. Users find their way there with the help of AR arrows that indicate the direction.
The new function in Google Maps complements “Indoor Live View”, which the group introduced in 2021 in the USA, Zurich and Tokyo. Here one concentrates on the interior view and the location plan of important, frequently visited buildings such as airports and museums. Google has announced that it will massively expand “Indoor Live View” this year. In the coming months, the function will be available in Google Maps for more than 1,000 new airports, train stations and shopping centers. The cities of Berlin, Frankfurt, Barcelona, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Paris, Prague, São Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Taipei are covered.
Get directions more easily on your smartphone
Optimized route planning, which Google would like to introduce in its map service, is also located in the navigation area. Regardless of whether users are on foot, by bike, car or bus and train, thanks to the new function, Google Maps will soon also show directions on the locked smartphone. Previously, information such as arrival times or instructions on turning could only be called up when the smartphone was unlocked in the open app or in navigation mode.
Google plans to roll out the corresponding update for Maps on Android and iOS worldwide in the coming months. It will then also be compatible with Live Activities on iOS 16.1, according to the company.
Also read: Users can now set the engine type in Google Maps to save fuel
Google Maps gets a new function for e-drivers
The topic of e-mobility is growing and e-cars have become an integral part of the streets. One problem, however, is often the search for (free) charging stations. Google Maps would like to help here with a new function.
In the future, the map service will suggest the best stop for charging the e-car on the planned route while navigating. According to Google, the selection is based on various data, such as the current traffic, the battery charge level and the expected energy consumption.
In general, charging stations for e-cars should also be more prominent in the search. According to Google, users will soon be able to see at a glance which shops, supermarkets or other facilities have charging stations available. Stations with an ultra-fast charging function thanks to charging capacities of 150 watts or more are shown separately.