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Google Maps to offer simpler public transit monitoring, notification settings
Google Maps is receiving two new updates that will hopefully offer a slightly better user experience. Android Police noticed a new “Your transit” section which allows quick access to your favorite public transportation lines and a better notification settings list which makes managing notifications simpler.
The new Your Transit feature will show up in Maps’ side menu, and it lets you favorite nearby public transport lines for easy access. Previously, users would need to manually search for the lines they are looking for. This update makes your most commonly used buses’ and subways’ timelines accessible in only a few taps.
The new notification update provides simpler notification categories. Several categories have been merged and renamed into six different ones instead of nine, making notification management simpler.
Maps’ notification settings have been confusing for quite a while now. This update aims to change that by streamlining the experience just a little bit more. Overall, both of these updates look to provide a better experience for Maps users.
Neither update has rolled out to everyone yet, but the notifications settings update has been pushed to the Maps 10.24 beta. The Your Transit update has only shown up in a few cases as a server-side test.
We expect both of these updates to come to all users relatively soon. You can stay up to date with the latest version of the app via the button below.
Previous Google Maps updates
New layer in the Google Maps Android app lets you know where Street View works
September 2, 2019: Google Maps added a new Street View layer to the Android app. This new feature will be incredibly helpful if you are traveling in a new location and want to use Street View to navigate around. By turning on the Street View layer, you can see which parts of a given location have Street View images available.
Cycling and ridesharing directions now mix with your trip
August 27, 2019: Google announced that you can now mix cycling and ridesharing directions within your Google Maps trip. This new feature, unfortunately, is hitting iOS first with Android support launching “in the following weeks.”
Expansion of Live View feature to many more devices
August 8, 2019: Google has announced that it’s expanding testing for the Live View feature. Starting this week, it’ll bring the beta feature to Android devices supporting Google’s ARCore and iOS devices via Apple’s ARKit frameworks.
Live View, which was initially tested on Pixel phones, allows users to see augmented-reality overlays in Google Maps while navigating on-foot. Simply hold up your phone and the app will place arrows and other instructions in your camera viewfinder, giving you a better idea of where to go.
Live speedometer hits the app
June 5, 2019: Google has implemented a speedometer feature in Google Maps, although it isn’t enabled by default. The feature is accessible via Settings > Navigation settings > Speedometer.
Still not seeing the feature? Well, it’s rolling out worldwide in a phased manner, so you might want to hold out a little longer.
Learn a restaurant’s most popular dish
May 30, 2019: Google Maps is launching a new tool to find a restaurant’s most popular dish. Maps will now use machine learning to determine from those photos and reviews which dishes are the most popular at that restaurant, making it easier for diners to find the “best of the best” at that establishment.
Additionally, Maps will translate reviews written in a foreign language, an essential tool for the traveling diner. Can’t read the menu? The new features within Google Lens will help you out there, too.
Pixel phones now have AR navigation
May 7, 2019: Google Maps AR navigation allows you to navigate on-foot by holding your phone up and using the rear camera, with arrows and other information overlaid into the viewfinder. This way, you don’t have to worry if the blue dot (representing you) is heading in the right direction when using Maps the traditional way.
The feature is currently only live for Pixel users using walking navigation in San Francisco, Paris, and London. It will likely come to additional major cities across the globe in due time.
Maps shows if a nearby EV charging station is occupied
April 23, 2019: Google has announced that you can use Google Maps to check real-time availability of charging station ports in the U.S. and U.K. In other words, you don’t have to physically go to a station to see if there are any free ports.
“Simply search for ‘ev charging stations’ to see up to date information from networks like Chargemaster, EVgo, SemaConnect and soon, Chargepoint,” Google wrote in a blog post announcing the feature.
Lime scooter and bike rental info in 80 cities
March 4, 2019: Google Maps will now show Lime scooter and bike rental information. Notifications will conveniently tell you if a Lime vehicle is available, how long it’ll take to walk to the vehicle, an estimate of how much your ride could cost, along with your total journey time and ETA.
You can see a full list of all the Lime Google Maps cities here.