Google Maps adds background blurring when viewing photos
After previewing glanceable directions and rolling out Wear OS 3 AOD support, Google Maps is getting a small tweak to the photo viewer.
Expand Expanding CloseAfter previewing glanceable directions and rolling out Wear OS 3 AOD support, Google Maps is getting a small tweak to the photo viewer.
Expand Expanding CloseIn Wear OS 3, many apps currently lack always-on display/ambient mode support and putting down your wrist while something is active will just blur your screen and show the time. Google Maps has now been updated with AOD support on the Pixel Watch and other Wear OS 3 devices, as well as a main UI tweak.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle is expanding the availability of AR features in Maps, as well as adding glanceable directions to the Android and iOS lockscreens.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps reviews are a powerful tool for learning more about the businesses you’re near, and moderation is key to ensuring those reviews are actually useful. In recent weeks, though, Google has admitted to taking down some reviews that weren’t breaking any policies.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps for Android will soon make it easier to plan longer road trips in your electric vehicle, offering planned charging stops along your route.
Expand Expanding CloseIf your Android Auto sessions lately have been plagued with a “Searching for GPS” issue, you’re not alone.
Expand Expanding CloseAfter first appearing on the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 in mid-December, the Google Maps app now fully works.
Expand Expanding CloseAs previously teased, Google Maps for Wear OS now supports turn-by-turn navigation without needing a paired phone for LTE watch owners.
Expand Expanding CloseSense 2 and Versa 4 owners can now download Google Maps for Fitbit, but the actual step-by-step navigation does not currently work.
Expand Expanding CloseFollowing Wallet support and the first update last month, Fitbit is getting ready to launch Google Maps on the Sense 2 and Versa 4.
Expand Expanding CloseWhile Duplex on the Web is going away, Google is still committed to the voice version of the conversational technology that can make human-sounding calls and maintain real conversations. Google’s latest use of Duplex is behind “where to watch the World Cup near me” searches.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps is a powerful tool for navigating our world, but it doesn’t have a ton of strong competition. That may soon change, though, as a new mapping initiative backed by Meta, Microsoft, and other big names gets going in the “Overture Maps Foundation.”
Expand Expanding CloseThe Waze team is being merged into the organization responsible for Google Maps, though no changes to the end-user experience were announced as part of this internal change.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle Maps relies on voice search, opting to keep you safe while on your drive. Unfortunately, it looks like the voice search feature in Google Maps for CarPlay is breaking for a number of users, only working after multiple attempts.
Expand Expanding CloseBack in September, Google previewed the ability for Search to find “Nearby dishes,” and this capability is now rolling out today along with a pair of feature expansions in Google Maps.
Expand Expanding CloseBack in September, Google previewed the ability to search for nearby places using augmented reality. AR search in Google Maps Live View will start rolling out next week, while Google Lens multisearch will let you take a food picture and see where the dish is available nearby.
Expand Expanding CloseAndroid Auto is currently beta testing its next generation, but some users without the update are seeing an issue as an Android Auto bug has broken non-touchscreen rotary controls, specifically with Google Maps.
Expand Expanding CloseThe latest Fitbit smartwatches are the first available under Google’s reigns, and as such they’re adding support for a couple of key Google services. After launching Google Wallet today, we’re now getting a first look at Google Maps integration on the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4.
Expand Expanding CloseAhead of the 2022 World Cup kicking off on November 20, Google is adding a handful of features to help fans keep track of the tournament across Search, Maps, and Google TV.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle is preparing to shut down the dedicated Street View app on Android, keeping the feature in Google Maps.
Expand Expanding CloseIf you have a Wear OS 3 smartwatch, including the Google Pixel Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, a recent update to Google Maps appears to have broken the navigation shortcuts for home and work locations.
Expand Expanding CloseIn a relatively quiet move, Google Maps has removed a layer from its app that showed COVID-19 hotspots.
Expand Expanding CloseIt’s not often we talk about iOS or iPhone over here at 9to5Google, but for those entrenched within the Apple hardware ecosystem, you have access to a number of iOS-exclusive Google app lock screen widgets you won’t find on Android. Are they any good? We’ve gone hands-on to find out if Android users are missing out.
Expand Expanding CloseGoogle is wrapping up the rollout of its iOS 16 Lock Screen widgets with Maps and Search for a total of six updated iPhone applications.
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