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- Google just announced some major updates to the Live View AR mode available on Google Maps.
- Live View will display landmarks in supported cities to allow users to better understand where they are on the map and to support more precise pin locations.
- Live View will also appear in transit navigation and will significantly enhance the parts of the journey that involve walking.
Google introduced a Google Maps feature a year ago that seemed more like a battery-draining marketing stunt. Called Live View, the augmented reality (AR) feature would only work on the mobile version of the app, allowing users to get a better idea of their surroundings. But Google hasn’t stopped developing the feature, and the latest updates make it better and more exciting than ever.
Live View is the kind of exciting feature that could thrive in the advanced AR glasses we hope to see for years to come, and Google is certainly gearing up for a future where Google Maps navigation will be powered by AR.
Google announced several Live View enhancements that will soon be available on Android and iPhone. The app will now allow you to use landmarks to orient yourself on the map.
When you search for a place on Google Maps, you can tap the Live View button to see your destination in the real world. The waypoints will be visible on the map and Live View will tell you how far you are from them. The feature will include iconic locations, Google explains. The Empire State Building in New York is one example, and the show will initially be supported in 25 cities.
But the most useful Live View feature refers to a different experience that many people who use public transportation to get around may be familiar with. Google Maps supports multimodal navigation, which means that you can combine all types of transportation types, including walking during certain parts of the trip.
Now when you use the driving directions, Live View is available to show you which way to go after exiting a transit station. This will be incredibly useful, as seen in the image above. Just scroll around the camera until you find the AR elements that will guide you to the next step in the journey.
Also, Live View will now support Location Sharing mode, which could be very useful during the pandemic to meet outdoors. The feature will show you the location of the friend you are supposed to know and make it easier to find them.
Finally, Live View will now show more precise locations as Google improved the pin location. Technologies including machine learning and a better “understanding of the world’s topography” allow Google to take into account the elevation of a place to accurately display the destination marker on the map in Live View.
Live View will appear on the Transit and Share Location tab on Android and iPhone in the coming weeks. The most accurate pin function will also be available at that time. The milestones feature will be implemented “soon” in these cities: Amsterdam, Bangkok, Barcelona, Berlin, Budapest, Dubai, Florence, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, Kyoto, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, Munich, New York, Osaka, Paris, Prague, Rome, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo and Vienna.
Chris Smith began writing about gadgets as a hobby, and before he knew it, he shared his views on technology with readers around the world. Whenever he doesn’t write about gadgets, he miserably fails to stay away from them, though he desperately tries. But that is not necessarily a bad thing.
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