Google Maps unveils three new features, two are rolling out now

Three new features are coming to Google Maps, two of them are rolling out now

To help you plan your summer trips, Google Maps is adding what it calls “photorealistic aerial views of nearly 100 of the world’s most popular landmarks in cities like Barcelona, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo.” This is the first step, Google says, toward launching Immersive View which combines AI with Street View, aerial, and satellite images.

Location sharing notifications are great for those planning to meet up with others at a ballpark, theater, restaurant, or store

The third and last of the three new updates is about location sharing notifications. Google explains how this works with a realistic scenario. “Say you’re headed to a concert with a group of friends. If they’ve already chosen to share their location with you, you can set a notification for the concert venue’s address so you can see when they’ve arrived and meet up quickly. You could also set a notification to see when they’ve left the venue — just in case you get split up.”

Location-sharing notifications are coming now to Google Maps

To protect users’ privacy, these notifications can only be set for those who have agreed to share their location with you. As Google said, “The person who’s shared their location with you will receive multiple reminders to let them know — including both a push notification in the Maps app and an email, along with recurring monthly emails. As always, you’re in control: you choose to stop sharing your location or block someone from setting notifications altogether.”

Cycling routes will be rolling out for Google Maps in weeks

Two of the three new features are rolling out now on the iOS and Android versions of the Google Maps app. Those are the aerial view of landmarks, and the location-sharing notifications. The cycling route information will start rolling out in weeks in the hundreds of cities where cycling directions are made available.