Out of all GPS trackers at our disposal, Google Maps, is perhaps not only the most commonly used but also the most reliable. Be it a visit to a nearby supermarket or a full-fledged road trip, Google Maps is that reliable friend that never leaves our side.
To mark the momentous occasion of the 15th anniversary of Google Maps, the app is getting a redesigned icon. The old logo which was essentially an animated map with a location pin is now gone. The new icon is a location pin in Google Maps’s signature blue, red, yellow and green colours.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent out a tweet lauding the app for always helping him find veggie burritos, no matter where he is. The CEO also wrote a blog, reflecting on ways Google Maps made his commute easier.
Happy 15th Birthday @GoogleMaps! Reflecting today on some of the ways it’s been helpful to me, from getting around… https://t.co/TC5JrtpT3Y
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) 1580997896000
The Indian origin tech CEO began his blog, talking about his love for burritos. “Burritos are one of the things that help me feel normal when jet lagged between time zones. Finding one is easy when I’m in places like Dallas. It’s not always as simple when I’m in a city like Helsinki, or when I’m travelling with people who have food allergies,” wrote Pichai. The 47-year-old shared that he had made a list of his favourite burrito places on Google Maps. “We want to continue getting these “burrito” moments right for all our users, whatever that means for you.,” wrote the CEO.
Pichai also shared future plans for the app. He aims to get a digital address for people who do not have a physical one. This address will be based on latitude and longitude coordinates. This will help people receive personal mail, deliveries and emergency services.
“Wishing Google Maps a very happy 15th birthday—I may have a burrito to celebrate!”, concluded Pichai.
What’s more? To celebrate the occasion, new tabs have also been added to Google Maps. The app, which earlier had only ‘explore’ and ‘commute’ tabs has a total of five tabs – explore, commute, saved, contribute and updates.
The ‘explore’ tab allows users to explore various places around them like restaurants, cafes, popular tourist attractions, etc. It also offers information like reviews and ratings about these places.
The ‘commute’ tab gives users information about the shortest and most efficient route available. Whether you are travelling by bus or a car, the app will give you regular updates about the time required, traffic situation and suggestions for alternate routes.
The ‘saved’ tab allows users to save places they have visited on the app and give recommendations for the same.
The ‘contribute’ tab allows users to provide information about places such as restaurants, roads or any particular place. This information is then shared with users in need.
The ‘update’ tab allows users to chat with businesses and know all about the must-see spots around them.
According to a report in The Verge, several new features are expected to be introduced on Google Maps. One of them is the augmented-reality Live View feature, which comes in a lightweight mode that will simply show the location of your destination without launching into the full-fledged 3D turn-by-turn navigation mode.
Here’s wishing our favourite navigation app a very happy birthday.
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