Google Maps adds 4 new Live View features; with new search bar

In the near future we will see four new features in Google Maps. The features have been officially announced by Google, and some of them are really cool. We list them.

Google Maps gets new features

New features have been announced for Google Maps. The service comes with welcome improvements for various parts of the maps app. The most striking thing is the new search bar. This one gets a camera icon. This will immediately open Live View. Nearby landmarks are shown on the screen, along with the street name projected onto the ground.

In the screen at the bottom of the screen you can directly search for places nearby. For example with the option ‘walking within five minutes’. You will then get a carousel with useful places such as shops, ATMs, restaurants, supermarkets and, for example, stops for public transport. You will then be guided to your destination with the well-known arrows, all via Live View. Things like the reviews and opening times are also shown. In the coming months, the Live View Search feature will roll out to six cities, including Paris, London, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Neighborhood Vibe

Another functionality that is being rolled out by Google Maps is the ‘Neighborhood Vibe’ function. Popular places are marked with photos and videos, showing places that are loved by others. These locations are indicated by large round pins. When you tap on them, they can be enlarged and you can scroll through them horizontally. For this, Google uses the AI ​​algorithm and the knowledge of Google Maps users, who each have made their own contribution.

Photo-realistic rendering

Immersive View, where you can get to know different places in the world in a cool way, is also being released. The 3D images of, for example, Big Ben and many other popular highlights will be rolled out to another 250 landmarks. This includes places from all over the world.

Another improvement you can expect in Google Maps is the photo-realistic rendering. This allows you to adjust the times and date of what a place looks like at that moment. A very cool feature that will be rolled out first in London, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo. This will happen in the coming months. Whether the feature will come to more (European) cities is unknown at this time.