- Google Maps just received two major updates rolling out today in the United States
- “Ask Maps” is a conversational assistant that answers very specific questions
- Google also gives drivers ‘biggest app update in over a decade’
The Google Maps vs. Waze debate continues to rage, but Maps just got two huge upgrades that could help it extend its lead as the world’s best all-around navigation app.
The first, called “Ask Maps,” is a conversational experience powered by Gemini for travelers that has seemed inevitable for a few years. Google also calls its other new feature, called “Immersive Navigation,” the “biggest navigation upgrade in over a decade.”
For pedestrians and travelers, the most exciting new feature is “Ask Maps.” This new tab sits prominently below the app’s search box and looks like a Maps-specific version of Gemini that can answer very detailed travel questions.
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Here are some sample questions provided by Google in a demo: “My phone is dying: where can I charge it without having to wait in line for coffee?” and “Is there a public tennis court with lights on that I can play on tonight?” In other words, this is more than just a rework of existing Google Maps tabs and information: it could potentially prove very useful if it works as well as it does in the demos.
Google says “Ask Maps” can also create comprehensive travel itineraries based on its information from more than 300 million locations and 500 million contributors. For example, you might say, “I’m heading to the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Coral Dunes – any recommended stops along the way?” »
One detail that might prove controversial for some is that your Ask Maps results are personalized. They will be based on the places you have searched for or also saved in Google Maps.
But Google was keen to avoid any privacy concerns, with Miriam Daniel, vice president and general manager of Google Maps, telling a briefing that “this is not linked to any of the other apps or any of your other data.” “Ask Maps” is currently rolling out in the United States and India on Android and iOS, and soon on desktop – Google declined to comment on a global rollout.
A “complete transformation” of Maps navigation
If you are a driver who regularly uses Google Maps to get around cities, the new “Immersive Navigation” mode might be more suited to your needs.
Like a cross between “immersive view” and traditional Google Maps navigation, the visual side of the update brings a new 3D view that adds transparent buildings and overpasses to give you more context, alongside pedestrian crossings, traffic lights and more. Google says this view was pre-trained using Gemini and real information from Street View and aerial photos.
“Immersive navigation” seems particularly useful for city driving, but there are also functional changes. Google says “smart zooms” will help you plan ahead for difficult intersections, while voice navigation will apparently be more natural.
Google Maps will also give you more information about the trade-offs of alternative routes, and you’ll also have the option to preview your destination with Street View imagery. This is another collaboration between Google that could have happened years ago.
The bad news for anyone living outside the US is that “immersive browsing” is only rolling out today in the US. It won’t come to everyone initially either, with Google promising it will “expand over the coming months to eligible iOS and Android devices”, CarPlay, Android Auto and cars with Google built-in.
Analysis: Impressive upgrades, but not for everyone
Both of these Google Maps upgrades sound very useful on paper – and competitors like Apple Maps might struggle to compete with its combination of new artificial intelligence and the wealth of information available in apps like “Ask Maps.”
However, concerns remain as some might stick to alternative apps. For starters, we don’t yet know how well “Ask Maps” works in the real world. But some will also raise questions of trust and confidentiality.
When asked if “Ask Maps” results might one day include paid ads or placements, Google didn’t rule out the possibility. “I can’t really speculate on where we’re going to go long term, although right now we’re really focused on providing the best possible experience in Ask Maps, so monetization and payment don’t impact where things appear in that experience,” said Andrew Duchi (Product Director, Google Maps).
The personalization aspect of “Ask Maps” could also put off some users. Google said it doesn’t use information from other apps like Gmail to refine its results. “It primarily focuses on searches you may have done in the past in Maps or specific searches for locations that might interest you. It focuses on items you have saved in Maps or as a list,” said Miriam Daniel (VP and GM of Google Maps).
This will be a fair compromise for many, but others might still prefer Apple Maps’ more traditional approach – and many drivers still prefer Google-owned Waze to Google Maps. Speaking of which, Google added that its new directions finding features use a combination of data from the Maps and Waze community.
“Behind the scenes, just like Gemini powers many of our capabilities, Waze and Google Maps have a shared driver community to bring real-time information to the map, so the two work together in terms of the data we serve,” added Rosa Wu (Product Director, Google Maps).
Regardless of your side of the privacy fence, we’ll be testing Google Maps’ two big upgrades soon to give you our first impressions.
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