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Tag: maps

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

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

    Google released a blog post today explaining how three updates are coming to Google Maps just in time for the warmer months. As the gang in Mountain View wrote, “If the warmer months have you feeling extra inspired — and excited — to get outside and explore with friends, Google Maps can help you transform the way you coordinate plans and stay connected this summer and beyond. Whether you’re checking out top landmarks in a new city, planning to hop on your bike, or hanging out with friends around town, these updates have you covered.”
    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.
    Google previously wrote about Immersive View back in May and explained how it allows users to “fly” above an area to see what it looks like at different times of the day. You can then “glide” down to street level and “peek” inside bars and restaurants to get a look at the atmosphere inside. It’s an exciting new technology that Google is bringing to its iconic app.

    Google says that worldwide, bicycling is up 40% which it notes is no surprise given the warmer weather and the higher gas prices. For over 12 years, Google has provided Maps users with cycling directions based on data from cities combined with AI. With Google Maps’ new bicycle route information, you’ll be able to compare different paths. The data will show you the elevation of the road or trail along your route and you’ll also know in advance if you will encounter heavy car traffic, stairs, or steep hills.

    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.”
    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.”
    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.
    Google Maps is the default mapping and navigation app on Android and while Apple has its own Apple Maps app, Google Maps can be installed from the App Store for the iPhone. If for some reason you don’t have the app on your Android device, you can get it from the Google Play Store by clicking on this link.
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  • Apple Maps could get a feature that Google Maps doesn’t have

    Apple Maps could get a feature that Google Maps doesn’t have

    Apple Maps has come a long way since it was first released in 2012 as a replacement for Google Maps. The latter was still made available for iPhone users in the App Store (along with YouTube which also was dropped as a native app with iOS 6). At first, Apple Maps was an unmitigated disaster. Some city streets and even countries were labeled with the wrong name and some weren’t named at all. Faulty directions sent users into dangerous areas like the Australian Outback filled with poisonous snakes, very little water, triple-digit temperatures, and scarce mobile phone reception.

    As a result of the Apple Maps fiasco, iOS chief Scott Forstall departed Apple after failing to sign an official apology related to the feature. As a result, the company’s chief designer, Jony Ive, ended up with the task of redesigning iOS 7 the next year. Forstall’s days at Apple might have been numbered anyway once Steve Jobs passed in 2011. Forstall and Ive reportedly would not work together and had differing opinions about the continued use of skeuomorphic designs for iOS.

    Skeuomorphic designs are those familiar designs that were used on the first generation of Apple’s native apps so that users knew instantly what a particular app was all about. For example, the use of an old black and white television console for the YouTube app would be an example as would a legal pad for the Notes app. Forstall (and Steve Jobs) both were into Skeuomorphic design while Ive preferred more of a modern approach.

    Apple decided to scrap the third-party mapping platforms it was using for Apple Maps and decided to build its own literally from the ground up. In 2018 it started sending out specially equipped vans with special sensors and cameras that sent data to an iPad located inside the van. The result has been a much improved Apple Maps that has reduced the gap with Google Maps.
    A tweet disseminated by iOS developer Steve Moser reveals that he has found some code in the Apple Maps app that suggests that Apple might offer Apple Maps navigation for E-Bikes along with optimized routes and estimated times of arrival (ETA) for those who drive them.
    It isn’t clear what the difference will be in the directions for non-electric and electric bikes although one possibility is that the latter will include steeper paths that are more likely not to be an obstacle for a motorized vehicle. If it turns out that Apple Maps will include navigation for E-Bikes, that would give it an advantage over Google Maps which doesn’t optimize routes for E-Bikes compared to ordinary bikes that need to be pedaled. But Google Maps does show users where they can rent an E-Bike, the expected time of their E-Bike journey, and the ETA.
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  • Apple Maps Have Now Improved Driving And Navigation Functions

    Apple Maps Have Now Improved Driving And Navigation Functions

    Apple Maps have also received small update at WWDC 2022. Apple announced that its mapping service will soon support multi-stop trips and users will be able to plan their route on the Mac version of the app and send it to their iPhone. Apple has also announced that the Maps app will get an updated look in a number of cities providing a 3D view.

    Apple revealed at WWDC that multi stop routing lets you plan up to 15 stops in advance. There is also Siri integration that makes it easy to add stops to the route when you’re already on the road.

    There are new public transit features as well in iOS 16. Now more than the fare, users will be able to add transit cards to the Apple Wallet. Users can also reload the transit card balance without leaving the Maps app.

    The redesigned maps app debuted first in 11 countries first in 2021. Now another 11 countries are being added which include France, Switzerland, New Zealand, but there is no India in the updated list.

    The redesigned 3D City feature offers more detailed roads, landmarks and other locations. Apple is adding Las Vegas, but is also adding Miami, Chicago and Sydney.

    Apple is offering an application programming interface which will allow third party apps to integrate its maps. Apple showed off how Zillow had integrated the new immersive view while browsing homes.

    Apart from this, Apple announced a major update for CarPlay which now supports multiple screen sizes and multiple screens going beyond the infotainment system adding support for the functions of the instrument cluster. Apple announced that cars by big automakers like Renault, Ford, Mercedes, Volvo and Honda will be launching vehicles based on this system later next year.

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  • Google Maps beta allows users to preset favorite mode of transportation

    Google Maps beta allows users to preset favorite mode of transportation

    Google Maps has become a versatile app that not only helps you get from point “A” to point “B” safely, it also recommends places to stay, where to get a meal, and things to see and do once you do arrive at point “B.” The app has over 1 billion monthly active users and is by far and away the most popular mobile navigation app found on the App Store and the Google Play Store.
    Google also owns Waze which has become something of an incubator for new ideas and features that eventually make their way to Google Maps. One of the new features coming to Google Maps will make it easier to preset the mode of transportation that you prefer.
    A panel covering approximately the bottom 35-40% of the display will allow Maps users to select which mode of transportation they prefer. Options include driving, walking, train (rail), bus, bicycle, ride service (Uber, Lyft for example), and bike & Scooter share. Under Route options, you can choose to avoid tolls, highways, and ferries. You can also select fuel-efficient routes and modes of transport that are wheelchair accessible.
    These settings can already be adjusted from the Google app by opening the app and tapping the profile picture in the upper right corner. From there,  go to Settings > Google Assistant > Account > You > Transportation. From that page, you can choose which mode of transportation you prefer. Obviously, it would be much more seamless to be able to set this from the Maps app which is what this beta update attempts to do.
    So far, this beta has not been disseminated widely. Additionally. When you select a particular mode of transportation with the new setup, it will remain the default choice for the next journey. Currently, Google Maps defaults to the mode of transportation that you used the last time that you leaned on the app for directions.

    For example, let’s say that you prefer walking from place to place. If you drove the last time that you used Google Maps, that is the mode of transportation that will be selected whenever you open the app. If Google pushes out the aforementioned update, you can select walking mode and that will be the default setting every time you need Google Maps giving you some extra time to enjoy some of the fun activities that Google recommends that you partake in when you arrive at point “B.”

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  • Google watches over Maps to protect bad actors from contributing fake reviews

    Google watches over Maps to protect bad actors from contributing fake reviews

    A few days ago Google published a blog post about how it keeps information on Google Maps “reliable.”  Google writes, “In a world that’s constantly changing, it’s important for Google Maps to give you the freshest, most up-to-date information possible — so you can know whether the restaurant down the street from you reopened or if your neighborhood grocery store has curbside pickup. One way we do this is through contributed content.”

    Every day, Google receives 20 million contributions from Maps users who are willing and eager to tell Google about changes to businesses’ hours of operations, phone numbers, and other important information that helps Maps users find out when they can visit a particular business and how to get in touch with the company. Google also receives photos and reviews among the contributions that Maps users send it daily.

    Of course, Google needs to be alert to make sure that the contributions being received are accurate. After all, 20 million contributions a day is a logistics nightmare and one incorrect phone number or bogus review posted on Google Maps could negatively impact a company. And some of the 20 million contributions that Google receives daily are bogus or faked on purpose, possibly by a company’s competitors, or by some malicious users.

    Google wrote, “As with any platform that accepts contributed content, we have to stay vigilant in our efforts to fight abuse and make sure this information is accurate. Thanks to a combination of machine learning and human operators, we continue to decrease the amount of content seen on Maps that is fraudulent or abusive – in fact, it’s less than one percent of all the content that is viewed on Maps.”

    Last year, Google was able to update information for 30% more business than the number it revised the year before. Using Machine Learning tools it blocked over 100 million fraudulent edits from going live by using ML technology to find malicious bots and abusive edits.

    That includes 7 million totally fake business profiles it removed and 12 million fake Business Profiles it took down. In addition, it stopped 8 million bad actors (and we don’t just mean those that didn’t win an Oscar) from claiming Business Profiles that weren’t theirs. Google added, “Thanks to continued improvements in our machine learning, our technologies and teams disabled more than 1 million user accounts due to policy-violating activity, such as online vandalism or fraud.”

    Earlier in this article, we mentioned how competitors could potentially post negative comments and reviews to damage a targeted store or business. Google itself alludes to this in his blog post by stating, “We also saw individuals and groups attempt to use fake reviews as a tactic to hurt local businesses — oftentimes spurred by public attention on differences in opinions.” So after detecting abuse and suspicious activity, Google protected 100,000 business from getting attacked on Google Business Profiles.

    Google also blocked or removed more than 95 million reviews that violated its policies. It also took down 1 million reviews that were reported to it and blocked over 190 million photos and 5 million videos that were blurry, low-quality, or violated Google’s content policies.

    As Google notes, “Local knowledge that our global community contributes is a huge part of what makes Google Maps more than a navigation tool. We’ll continue to invest in keeping this information fresh and reliable so you can discover information about the world around you.

    An app like Google Maps attracts bad actors because of its reach and the number of people that use it. For example, more than one billion people use Google Maps each month. And some companies that demanded that customers wear masks were the recipient of fake reviews posted by anti-maskers as a way to get back at them. Luckily, Google stands guard to make sure that these fake commends and ads are taken down.

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  • Google Maps traffic triples in Ukraine

    Google Maps traffic triples in Ukraine

    Google’s Transparency reports are designed to show “how the policies and actions of governments and corporations affect privacy, security, and access to information online.” And the policies and actions of the government in Russia, by invading Ukraine, are having an effect on the demand for information available online in the latter country.

    Maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise considering what is going on in Ukraine, but usage of Google Maps nearly tripled in that country over the last few days as many families have been taking to the roads trying to get over the Ukrainian border to Poland. Television reports show hours-long waits at service stations and heavy traffic on the roads leading to the border.

    The impact on Google Maps usage in Ukraine can be seen graphically thanks to the charts tweeted by Damian Menscher, who is the Security Reliability Engineer responsible for DDoS defense at Google. Menscher tweeted a graph showing how the online traffic from inside Ukraine to Google Maps rose from a score of 55.239 on February 23rd, to 157.275 the very next day, peaking at 186.983 on February 24th.

    That’s only half the story. Menscher included in his tweet a graph showing the declining traffic from Ukraine to Google Docs and Google Sheets as businesses are not running as usual in the country thanks to the invasion. Traffic to both sites from Ukraine declined by about 3x during the same time period.

    Gmail, Search, and YouTube traffic from Ukraine did not significantly budge since the invasion. We’ve heard reports of Ukrainians seeking shelter in the subway watching YouTube to catch the latest news on the War and to pass the time. This might have propped up YouTube’s numbers inside the country since we’re sure that most Ukrainians are not interested in watching cat videos at this time.

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  • After update, Google Maps disappears from Android Auto

    After update, Google Maps disappears from Android Auto

    Google Maps helps users get from point “A” to point “B” using the most environmental-friendly and fastest route. And once you get to “B,” the app helps you find a place to eat, a place to sleep, things to see, and more. In other words, many travelers depend on the app and use it almost every day to help them make their daily commute without running into traffic jams, accidents, and speed traps.

    According to several posts made on Google’s support forums, after the latest update to Android Auto 7.2, Google Maps just upped and disappeared. The app still shows up on the user’s handset and can still be accessed as long as the car is not connected to the phone. Outside of an Android Auto community specialist, Google has yet to acknowledge that this problem exists and with that in mind, the search giant has yet to issue a workaround.

    There is a solution, however, users with this problem can switch to another navigation and mapping app like Waze. Also owned by Google, Waze uses crowdsourced data to help it deliver the fastest and safest routes for users to follow. Unlike Google Maps, Waze concentrates on navigation although it can still lead you to gas stations and restaurants. Or, if using Google Maps is a must, just run the app through your phone instead of using Android Auto.

    One user who posted on Google’s forum said that prior to the latest Android Auto update, everything worked perfectly on his 2018 Audi Q7 and his Samsung S21 Ultra. Once he installed the update, Android Auto no longer appeared as an app on his phone home screen and could not be reinstalled. The Q7 display no longer includes Maps; after using his voice to call for the Google Maps app, he is told that “This application is not available on your device.”

    While he can navigate using Google Maps on his Galaxy S21 Ultra, his car no longer displays maps and the turn-by-turn directions can not be heard from his car’s speaker. After talking with Samsung, the man says that he was told that the issue is not with his Galaxy S handset, but with Android Auto.

    In his post, he notes that he tried uninstalling and reinstalling updates, rebooting the phone, and re-setup Android Auto on his car, all to no avail. A subsequent post was sent in by a person with a similar story who uses a Galaxy S20 Ultra running Android 12. This person also lost Google Maps on Android Auto.

    The aforementioned community specialist with the Android Auto team responded by saying, “Thanks for reporting this issue. We have reached out to you via email to collect more information. Please share the required details.” So at this point, we have to assume that Google is not totally familiar with the issue.

    If you are affected by this bug,, you should simply use Google Maps on your handset, or switch to Waze on Android Auto. Either way, you will need to wait for Google to make the necessary repair through an OTA software update.

    Speaking of updates, Android Auto 7.2, the one that caused Google Maps to disappear, was released at the beginning of this year with no changelist.

    Have any of you found that Google Maps has disappeared from your Android Auto screen after installing the 7.2 update? If so, which one of our suggestions are you using? Did you decide to simply turn to your phone to run Google Maps, or are you continuing to use Android Auto and have switched to Waze. Let us know by dropping your comment in the box below.

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  • Google Maps takes drivers down a potentially fatal route following a major snowstorm

    Google Maps takes drivers down a potentially fatal route following a major snowstorm

    By most accounts, Google Maps does a damn good job navigating from point “A” to point “B,” helping users safely get to their destination in the fastest possible time. And once you get to that destination, Google Maps will tell you where to go for dinner, the must-see places in that city, and where you can find a place to stay. But Google Maps does have its moments, as rare as they are when something goes wrong.

    According to SF Gate, travelers in Lake Tahoe were directed by Google Maps to drive on roads that were closed or dangerous thanks to record-breaking snowfall. A tweet from Crystal A. Kolden (@pyrogeog) was sent to Google Maps with a screenshot showing the route between Sacramento, California, and Reno, Nevada.

    Kolden told Google Maps that “This is an abject failure. You are sending people up a poorly maintained forest road to their death in a severe blizzard. Hire people who can address winter storms in your code (or maybe get some of your engineers who are stuck in Tahoe right now on it).”

    The directions recommended by Google Maps take travelers through Marysville Road described as a “narrow two-lane path going through the Tahoe National Forest.” Another Twitter user tried to warn those using the Android version of the Google Maps app by writing, “The Android mobile app does not seem to be showing road closures. This is a big freaking deal and could lead to some dangerous situations.”

    Even the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) got into the act with a tweet that said, “PSA for those trying to use Rollins Lake to sneak past the I-80 closure: You. Will. Not. Get. Through. I-80 remains CLOSED between Applegate and the Nevada state line. You will be turned around and you’re putting crews at risk who are working to clear downed trees, snow, etc.”

    Google Maps is usually quite adept at making route changes if an accident or weather slows down travel, but not in all cases such as this one. The National Weather Service (NWS) says that five to nine feet of snow have fallen in the Lake Tahoe area over the last week and the conditions are not expected to get better soon.

    If you travel or commute in areas of the country where snow, sleet, and icy roads are often an issue, besides installing Google Maps, you should also include a major weather app such as The Weather Channel, or Accuweather. Make sure to allow notifications and this way you’ll receive alerts whenever wintry weather is going to make driving hazardous.

    You might recall that Apple Maps put some of its users in danger back when the app was first released by Apple in 2012. Unlike the current situation, the problem was with the app itself, not the weather. Apple mislabeled a dangerous part of the Outback in Australia which led travelers to drive through an area with very little water, temperatures as high as 115 degrees, with poisonous snakes on the ground.

    Eventually, Apple was able to clear this up. As for the situation with Google Maps, the weather is expected to keep road conditions for this route dangerous for a few days.

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  • Google Maps bug prevents useful feature from working perfectly

    Google Maps bug prevents useful feature from working perfectly

    Google Maps has a location-sharing feature that allows you to share your location with others. Users can set a time limit that shuts down this peek at your current location after the set time period has been reached. Or, the user can decide to keep this information available by choosing the setting that shares the current location “Until I turn it off.”

    However, it appears that there is a problem, and some Google Maps users on the app’s support page are complaining that they are no longer able to select the “Until I turn it off” option. This bug is preventing Google Maps users from allowing someone to continue to monitor their current location until they turn off the location sharing feature.

    A member of the Google Maps support page, Loes Frank, wrote, “Hi! I am sharing my location for a long time with my parents and brother. Always ‘until I turn it off’ instead of a limited time. For a while I shared my location with my boyfriend without a time limit but it suddenly doesn’t work anymore.”

    Loes continues, “I am still sharing my location with my family without a time limit but with my boyfriend it’s impossible. Also with new people, it’s impossible. How can I fix this?” In other words, she complains that the option to keep sharing her location until she’s done is still showing up on her phone, but it is not working when she presses on it.

    A Google Platinum Product Expert tried to blame the problem on Loes’ lack of verification which he says prevents Google from knowing her age which blocks her from using “features like enabling location history and browsing your Google Timeline. These features are only available for users whose accounts have been verified to meet the minimum age requirements.”

    But the expert was quickly proven wrong when another Google Maps user wrote, “This is happening for me too, no option to verify the account so it’s already verified. On other family members’ phones they can still see the option saying ‘until you turn it off.’ Any ideas, Google?”

    And another post in the Google Maps support page says, “My fiancés’ phone has been sharing locations with me for years and it stays on, on my phone, but every day his location sharing is set to ‘until I turn it off.’ When he gets near his own home maps, location disconnects yet he can see mine when neither one of us touched it.” The location-sharing feature is a handy tool for those who would like to be tracked as they travel just in case a situation arises where they need help.

    Every person complaining about this issue says that Google Maps runs perfectly on their device with the location sharing issue the only problem that they are having with the navigation and mapping app. The problem started earlier this month and this timing has led some to believe that the bug was introduced via a recent software update. Whatever the cause of this issue, it seems to prevent the ‘until I turn it off’ option from working with certain contacts.

    Google continues to work on Maps as it continues the evolution of the app which started as an application tasked with getting users from point “A” to point “B” safely, and in the fastest possible time. Besides additions to the navigation part of the app that warn you of delays, accidents, speed traps, tolls, and speed limits, Google Maps now helps you find places to eat, places to see, hotels where you can stay and famous landmarks to visit once you get to “B.”

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  • TomTom Shares Rise 9% After European Union Decision

    TomTom Shares Rise 9% After European Union Decision

    Shares in Dutch navigation and mapping company TomTom closed 9.3% higher on Wednesday, after the European Union published rules specifying that cars must incorporate a technology that the company supplies, starting in 2022.

    TomTom works with carmakers to provide the technology that helps drivers comply with speed limits, called “intelligent speed assistance.”

    The publication in the Official Journal of the European Union specified that new car models must use the technology starting in July 2022, and all cars sold must have it by 2024.

    Chief Executive Harold Goddijn was scheduled to meet with investors at a conference during the day, though it was not clear whether he discussed potential financial benefits to the company.

    A spokesperson for TomTom could not immediately comment. Sebastian Marland, an equity research analyst at AFS Group, said he believed the news was the trigger for the stock’s surge.

    “This creates a momentary opportunity for TomTom as it provides the tech required to ‘add-on’ to the cars,” he said.

    However, “from 2024 onwards, all cars in the EU must have it installed, making TomTom’s tech redundant in the long term.”

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  • Dark Mode arrives on the iOS version of Google Maps

    Dark Mode arrives on the iOS version of Google Maps

    Back in August, Google announced that the iOS version of Google Maps was getting Dark Mode. The feature has been available since September. We should point out that if you set your iPhone to system-wide Dark Mode by going to Settings > Display & Brightness and tapping on Dark, Google Maps will not go to Dark Mode. So if you want the app to run on the latter, follow these directions.

    Open Google Maps (which goes without saying although we just said it anyway, didn’t we?). Tap on the circle with your profile picture or first initial in it located on the right side of the Search bar at the top of the screen. Tap on Settings and under the USING MAPS headings, you’ll see a listing for Dark Mode.

    When you tap on Dark Mode, it will open a page with three options: On, Off, Same as device setting. Tap on On and the entire app goes into Dark Mode immediately. Menus that have black text on a white background will show a black background with white text which isn’t as likely to burn a hole in your retina as that intense white background is.

    Tap on Off and Dark Mode will not turn on at all. The last option is the Same as device setting. This means that the app will follow the settings you have chosen for your iPhone. Using Dark Mode reduces the strain on your eyes, makes the screen easier to read, and if you have an AMOLED display, it can save battery life.

    Since an AMOLED display doesn’t require a backlight, the color black is created by turning off the appropriate pixels.

  • Google and Apple Maps rival explains why their ETA estimates are always off

    Google and Apple Maps rival explains why their ETA estimates are always off

    Ever wonder why your estimated time of arrival (ETA) at a destination that you used Google Maps or Apple Maps to navigate to never matches up with the initial ETA estimate? For example, let’s say that you are traveling from Ludlow, Vermont to Moreau, New York. After tapping the destination into Google Maps, it shows that the drive will take 1 hour and 40 minutes allowing you to get to your destination by 2:45 pm.

    But by the time your journey ends, it is 2:55 pm and you’re ten minutes late. What happened? Google Maps and Apple Maps rival TomTom recently said in a blog post that “We rely on estimated times of arrival (ETAs) now more than ever. Whether we’re waiting on a package, food delivery or taxi ride, an accurate ETA is essential. The problem with ETAs is that they are hard to calculate accurately – and this can lead to both dissatisfied customers and disgruntled drivers.”

    First, why should it matter if your ETA is off by a few minutes? TomTom points out that deliveries could arrive too early or too late which frustrates consumers. A package that arrives too early when no one is home to receive it has a bulls-eye on it that says “steal me.” And a late food delivery could result in food being too cold by the time it gets to your house. And a rideshare that arrives at the airport late might force you to run through the airport as O.J. Simpson used to in television commercials for Hertz back in the day.

    Drivers trying to pick up minutes on their ETA tend to drive faster with no regard to the usual rules of the road. In 2019 Tom Tom spoke with ride-hailing companies (such as Lyft and Uber) and food delivery companies and was told that having an accurate ETA was one of the biggest problems they face in their businesses. That’s because there are so many unpredictable variables that go into figuring out when you will arrive at point “B” after leaving from point “A.”

    Such variables include the weather, driver behavior, and traffic. Part of the problem is that each company has a different reason to provide an accurate ETA. Delivery firms need reliable ETAs while ride-hailing and other firms dealing with commuters want to get their customers from one place to another as fast as possible.

    Inaccurate ETAs can occur because some drivers are aggressive and will speed through yellow lights, drive well above the speed limit, and take other chances. Some drivers are conservative and will stop at a yellow light and drive well below the speed limit. Some companies use algorithms to match deliveries with certain drivers. TomTom says that “These algorithms are the ‘secret sauce’ behind route and ETA planning and perform extremely complex calculations that companies own and may vary from business to business.”

    To improve ETA accuracy TomTom suggests the use of historical data that show how fast traffic flows through certain roads at specific times of the day. Mix that with Real-Time traffic (TomTom has a system that updates real-time traffic every 30 seconds). It is also important to figure information about the road into ETA calculations. The mapping firm points out that “The more accurate the maps, the better for drivers and customers. Road details like curvature, gradient, speed limits, traffic lights, specific traffic rules and lane information are all important to consider.”

    It might sound surprising, but TomTom says that the best route might be one that is longer but is more likely to deliver a more accurate ETA than another route with more traffic lights or accidents. TomTom adds that obtaining an accurate ETA is “both an art and a science.”

  • Google Maps faces a new Russian rival on Android Auto

    Google Maps faces a new Russian rival on Android Auto

    Earlier this spring, Google made the smart move to permit its Android Auto app-mirroring dashboard display software to become compatible with third-party apps. This was after it was fined $123 million in Italy, for its monopolistic actions in refusing to allow Italian navigation app JuicePass (which directs electric vehicle drivers to the nearest charging station) access in favor of Google’s own Maps app.

    Once the gates were open, naturally, there was an influx of navigational and other car experience-enhancing apps rushing in to compete with Google’s native navigational offerings. It was finally all healthy, fair competition, and Russia has joined the fray with one particular recent candidate: Yandex.Maps.

    Yandex is a Russian machine-learning navigational tech company, which seems to have created a perfect alternative to Google Maps, with its 10 years of experience in navigation and transportation services. Yandex.Maps offers it all to rival Google Maps, including voice prompts, alerts for upcoming speed limits and traffic cameras, and traffic congestion info updated in real-time.

    The new software even has the option to download directions into an offline mode, for when you run out of data or venture out on an off-road adventure in the bush somewhere.

    Yandex.Maps is currently only available in Russia, and requires a paid “Yandex Plus” subscription if drivers want to make use of the novel dashboard-navigation experience.

    The company does offer Russians a three-month free trial to test it out before buying, though. And for all we know, the $2.30 equivalent of the 169 Russian rubles that are charged as a monthly usage fee may just be worth it if it outperforms Google Maps in precise road mapping and route calculation.

    Google Maps isn’t always updated to reflect the opening up or blocking off of smaller streets, or acknowledge the existence of some legitimate off-road routes, for example, especially outside the USA—so it’s possible Yandex.Maps could be a truly worthy alternative.

    Even if it’s only a Russian breakthrough at the moment, it’s also a breakthrough in the sense that more developers are showing an interest in taking advantage of the free Android Auto app market and looking for ways to compete with Google in the car-optimized navigational software sphere.

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  • New Google Maps widgets now available for iPhone

    New Google Maps widgets now available for iPhone

    For years, some iPhone users were jealous of their Android toting friends because of the lack of widgets on iOS. This ended with iOS 14 when Apple introduced its own Home Screen widgets at last. Many feel that the iOS implementation tops Android’s widgets. And while Apple Maps has its own iOS widget available, Google Maps is now offering two that require the installation of version 5.74 of the app on iPhone units running iOS 14 and up and iPad models with the iPadOS 15 beta download.
    Keep in mind that these Google Map widgets should not be confused with certain widgets found on the iOS widgets page such as Travel Times, Transit Departures, Local Guides and Traffic. A pair of Google Maps widgets is now available for the iOS Home Screen. The two widgets include one that is called “Find places nearby” and uses a search bar similar to Google’s iOS Gmail and Search widgets.
    This widget gives you shortcuts for quick directions “Home” and to “Work.” And with the widget, you can quickly get directions to Restaurants, Gas, Groceries, and Coffee purveyors in your current area.
    The second iOS Google Maps widget is called “Know before you go” and includes the latest traffic conditions, location details, times that stores open, reviews of restaurants, and more. This widget is a 1×1 square showing your current location with the traffic overlay on top.  And Google hinted in the release notes that more Maps-related widgets are coming. “In this release, we’re launching our first set of Home Screen Widgets to help you plan and navigate to your destination.”
    To install the widgets, press and hold on empty Home Screen space. Tap the “+” button in the upper left-hand corner and select Google Maps widget. If the widgets don’t show up, you might want to uninstall Google Maps and reinstall the latest version from the App Store.
  • New helpful features are added to Google Maps

    New helpful features are added to Google Maps

    Google continues to work on Google Maps as the app matures from one that gets you safely and quickly from point “A” to point “B” to one that not only gets you to point “B” but also shows you where to go, stay, eat and more once you do arrive at point “B.” Today, Google announced some new features for Maps that are designed to help users deal with some of the pains of travel whether it is the daily commute to the office,  a vacation, or just a jaunt to the local supermarket to stock up.

    The new features for Google Maps include one that will come in handy for commuters and others. If you happen to rely on public transit for the majority of your trips, you can now get the lay of the land and discover how crowded your subway car, bus, or train will be. This is important if you hate getting squeezed inside a subway car with sweaty, irritable commuters.

    If Google Maps informs you that you should expect a cramped ride, you can always wait for the next subway car, bus or train so that you can enjoy some space and perhaps more importantly, some peace and quiet on your journey. The information is computed using machine learning AI and will soon be expanded to cover more than 10,000 transit agencies in 100 countries around the world.

    In New York and Sydney, Google is testing the release of this information for the individual car levels on trains. This will allow Google Maps users to choose where to stand on the platform in order to find the least crowded part of the train.

    With new variants of COVID like Delta and the deadly Lambda versions keeping the pandemic alive, Google knows that it is still important for people to know the latest news about COVID-19. The COVID layer on Google Maps will provide information about what is happening in your area about COVID including restrictions that you need to know about and local resources that you might find helpful.

    Google suggests that before you leave for your destination, go to Google Maps, search for your destination and scroll down to the Business Profile to see how busy the place is right now. This way you can adjust your plans if your destination is mobbed. Some businesses allow you to schedule an appointment through Google Maps. All you need to do is search for the business, check availability, and reserve your time. You can make changes and manage your appointments via the app’s Saved tab.

    Google Maps will soon allow you to look back in order to plan ahead. All Android users can use the Trips tab to revisit past trips. Google notes that you can export this information and share your past travels with others.

    The Business Profile will also show a location’s operating hours, current COVID-19 safety precautions, trending dishes, and reviews. Speaking of dishes, tapping on prompts inside Google Maps will allow you to share information for any restaurant in the U.S. including the eatery’s average price range or whether you ate in or took the meal home to consume.

    Lastly, Google Maps will allow users to pay for things like street parking or public transit directly from the app. For the former, type in the meter number and then hit pay and refill to make the contactless payment. When you arrive at any public transit, your phone will show an option to make a payment which you can tap to initiate.

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