If you’re visiting a new city or hosting a friend for the weekend, you no longer need to spend (as much) time researching the best bars, restaurants and places to visit.
Google is taking the work out of finding new places to visit with its latest Gemini-powered Maps update.
Gemini is now baked into the Maps search bar, allowing you to enter phrases like “things to do with friends at night” to receive curated recommendations from the AI assistant.
Once you find a spot that piques your interest, you can tap on it and scroll down to view an AI-generated summary by Google compiled from the countless reviews posted under the business by customers and visitors.
You can then scroll down further to ask specific questions about the establishment, such as whether it has outdoor seating, what the atmosphere is like or what types of drinks it serves. Gemini will answer your question with information pulled from existing reviews, linking its sources below so you can read the original reviews yourself to see the comments in context.
Immersive View is getting a major update, with the feature expanding to 150 cities worldwide, allowing you to explore the area and view live weather updates. Google is also adding new categories and places, such as university campuses, and will notify users of complex turns and where they can park.
Google is also introducing new ways to plan your road trips in Maps, with the ability to see and add popular landmarks, attractions, scenic spots and restaurants ahead of time. You can access this feature by tapping ‘add stops’ when routing your journey.
Enhanced navigation is coming to Maps, allowing you to view lanes, crosswalks and road signs clearly on the map. The app will also tell you exactly which lane you need to be in using the blue line on-screen.
On top of this, users will now be able to see and report weather disruptions – such as flooded, unplowed and low-visibility roads – along their journey.
Finally, Google is rolling out an update to its arrival guidance feature. Along with lighting up your building and entrance, Maps will also display nearby car parks and remind you to save the location you’ve parked to help you find your car later on. You can then use walking directions to navigate from your car to your destination on foot.
All of these features will begin rolling out on Android and iOS this week, with the Gemini recommendations starting in the US and the other features available globally.
