Feeling lost in the concrete jungles of the world? Fear not, Google Maps introduces a new feature to help you find entrances and exits

Date:
Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:36:14 +0000

Description:
Google Maps experiments with entrance markers for selected buildings, aiming to streamline navigation and ease entry and exit dilemmas for users.

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Picture this: youre using Google Maps to navigate to a place youve never been and time is pressing, but youve made it! Youve found the location, but theres a problem: you dont know how to get into whatever building youre trying to access, and panic sets in. Maybe thats just me, but if you can relate it
looks like were getting some good news - Google Maps is testing a feature
that shows you exactly where you can enter buildings.

According to Android Police , Google Maps is working on a feature showing users entrance indicator icons for selected buildings. I can immediately see how this could make it easier to find your way in and out of a location. Loading markers like this would require a lot of internet data if done for every suitable building in a given area, especially metropolitan and densely packed areas, but it seems Google has accounted for this; the entrance icons will only become visible when you select a precise location and zoom in closely.

Google Maps is an immensely popular app for navigation as well as looking up recommendations for various activities, like finding attractions or places to eat. If youve ever actually done this in practice, youve possibly had a situation like Ive described above, especially if youre trying to find your way around a larger attraction or building. Trying to find the correct entrance to an expo center or sports stadium can be a nightmare. Places like these will often have multiple entrances with different accessibility options - such as underground train stations that stretch across several streets.

Google's experimentation should help users manage those parts of their journeys better, starting with only certain users and certain buildings for now, displaying icons that indicate both where you can enter a place and exit it (if there are exit/entrance-only doors, for example). This feature follows the introduction of Google Maps recent addition of indicators of the best station exits and entrances for users of public transport. (Image credit: Shutterstock / TY Lim) The present state of the new feature

Android Police tested the new feature on Google Maps version 11.17.0101 on a Google Pixel 7a . As Google seemingly intended, Google Maps showed entrances for a place only when it was selected and while the user zoomed in on it, showing a white circle with a symbol indicating entry on it. That said, Android Police wasnt able to use the feature on other devices running the latest version of Google Maps for different regions, which indicates that Google Maps is rolling this feature out gradually following limited and measured testing.

While using the Google Pixel 7a, Android Police tested various types of buildings including hotels, doctors offices, supermarkets, hardware stores, cafes, and restaurants in cities that include New York City, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Berlin. Some places had these new entrance and exit markers
and some didnt, which probably means that Google is still in the process of gathering accurate and up-to-date information on these places, most likely
via its StreetView tool. Another issue that came up was that some of the indicated entrances were not in the right place, but teething issues are inevitable and this problem seemed more common for smaller buildings where
its actually easier to find the entrance once youre there in person.

The entrances were sometimes marked by a green arrow instead of a white circle, and its not clear at this point exactly what it means when a green arrow or a white circle is used. Google Maps has a reputation as a very helpful, functional, and often dependable app, so whatever new features are rolled out, Google probably wants to make sure theyre up to a certain standard. I hope they complete the necessary stages of experimenting and implementing this new feature, and I look forward to using it as soon as I can. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE... A Google Maps redesign is rolling out on Android phones Google Maps now looks more like Apple Maps and a lot of people arent happy Apple Maps vs. Google Maps - which one is best?



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/software/feeling-lost-in-the-concrete-jung les-of-the-world-fear-not-google-maps-introduces-a-new-feature-to-help-you-fin d-entrances-and-exits


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