There are a lot of great features in Google Maps, and a lot of them have absolutely nothing to do with navigation. One of those features is one you may not know about, or forgot was even possible — and it's designed to help you learn more about different areas throughout history. I am, of course, talking about Street View's "time travel" feature.

Everyone knows Street View is a great way to get a view of different spots from street level, but it is possible to give you a glimpse at history as well. In the past you stuck with the last load of Street View photos that Google's roving band of camera-laden cars had taken, but that changed a few years back when archived photos were added to Google Maps.

This essentially lets you travel back through time and see back into the past through the portal of Google Street view. I've found that this is a really great way to learn about the area around you, and just how much things have changed since Street View first launched. Here's how to time travel through Google Maps.

There you have it, that's how you time travel in Google Maps, and see different parts of the world throughout history. Or throughout the period that Street View has been active, at the very least. In this case, we can see that the Central London street that houses Future Publishing's London office (Westbourne Terrace) hasn't actually changed all that much over the past 18 years, but other locations may see much more impressive transformations. Which is the biggest benefit of using time travel in the first place.

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As a New Yorker who was born and raised in Queens, I quickly learned what separates a mediocre slice of pizza from a truly amazing one.

Over the years, I’ve taken the train and bus just to fulfill my appetite by munching on a Grade A slice from the likes of Cuts & Slices, Macoletta and New Park Pizza. My never-ending journey for the best pizza in the city, best known for its slim slices, eventually lit a lightbulb over my head and pushed me right back into the world of AI.

Ever since Gemini got attached to Google Maps, it’s become a handy tool for those times when I need hands-free directions via chatting while I’m driving, a heads-up about the traffic conditions for my next route and an identifier that gives me verified info on any special places I come across. It’s also great on the recommendation front, which is why it’s become my best buddy when I need to know where to eat next.

When I used the “Ask Maps” chat feature with Gemini in Google Maps and requested a list of the best pizza places in NYC, it mentioned a popular tourist hotspot. My expectations for those sorts of places tend to be low, but to my surprise, it was a lot better than expected.

Making my way to Joe’s Pizza

Once I verbally demanded that Gemini in Google Maps put me on the path to cheesy, tomato-fueled heaven, it brought up a bunch of highly-rated pizza spots from every corner of the city.

It even split them up into different classifications, such as “Modern Champions" (best pizza in the city AND the world!), “Historical Icons” (legendary pizza spots that are cornerstones of NYC) and “Classic Favorites” (go-to spots every NY'er should go to) to make my next pizza destination a bit easier to discern. Thankfully, it didn't bring up any pizza chains like Pizza Hut (which is a plus when you remember AI hasn't had the most positive effect on the popular restaurant brand as of late).

The main pizza spot that caught my attention was Joe’s Pizza, which Gemini offered a very enticing description of stating, "For the ultimate classic NYC slice, Joe’s Pizza is the gold standard." It also stated that it's known for:

• Fame: Famous for its on-screen cameos (including Spider-Man 2) and photos of celebrity fans lining the walls.
• The Slice: Known for thin, foldable slices with just the right amount of grease and a perfect cheese-to-sauce ratio.
• Convenience: Open until 3 AM or later, making it a legendary late-night destination.

It must have been fate that Joe’s Pizza ended up catching my eye because it turns out that it’s a block away from the office here in Times Square. So on a rainy and unusually chilly Thursday, I stepped away from my desk and headed downstairs to see if all the hype about Joe’s Pizza was justified. After waiting 30 minutes in a long line full of locals and out-of-towners, I left with two slices and high expectations.

Two slices of greatness

As someone who can be overly judgmental about pizza (Sbarro’s is not, ladies and gentlemen!), I came away from my mid-afternoon pizza journey with high marks for Joe’s Pizza. Gemini in Google Maps’ lofty overview of what makes the actual location such a cool destination and why its pizza tastes so good were on the money — those two slices I ate made the long wait in the rain worth all the trouble. Once again, AI performed admirably when the time came to lead me to another delicious location that I'll be sure to mention to my fellow pizza addicts.

Final thoughts

Having a quick chat with Gemini in Google Maps just so I can stuff my face is now one of my favorite pastimes. Asking it to point me in the right direction of 4-5 star pizza restaurants is one of the best ways to use Google’s chatbot on the Google Maps app.

After finding out just how good Joe’s Pizza is based on Gemini’s lofty promises, I’m more keen on trusting its other pizza recommendations. It’s safe to say that I’ll be making a few stops to Una Pizza Napoletana, John’s of Bleecker Street and Di Fara Pizza real soon.

If Gemini in Google Maps says it's good, who am I to question it?

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As a native New Yorker, I’ve been fooled by the weather one too many times over the past few months.

One day it’s sunny and pushing into the 70s, giving me hope that summer has finally arrived. The next morning, I’m back in a sweater and jacket wondering what happened.

But now that summer is finally getting closer, I’ve started thinking about one thing: planning the perfect road trip.

I use AI tools every day for everything from shopping advice to productivity hacks, so naturally I turned to chatbots to help plan my summer travel, too. And honestly, some of the results were surprisingly useful.

From building itineraries to finding affordable stops and organizing travel logistics, these are the best ways to use AI before you hit the road this summer.

Creating an itinerary

Before even pulling out of the driveway for that dream road trip, it’s definitely worth checking in your preferred AI tool to plan out your future summer getaway.

Popular AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini Canvas in Google Gemini, Claude, etc.) and even the ones specifically built to arrange trips (Layla, Mindtrip, iMeanAI, etc.) are equally efficient at putting you on the right path towards the best destinations during your travels.

This list of prompts can come in handy whenever you’re interacting with chatbots when you’re looking to be led to the best locales to stop off at during your dream road trip:

• Plan a [number of days] summer road trip from [location] to [location] focused on seafood, beaches, bookstores, and scenic coastal towns. Keep the driving under [number of hours] per day.
• Find underrated summer road trip stops between [location] and [location] that feel cinematic, nostalgic, and uncrowded.
• What’s the best last-minute stop between [location] and [location] if I want to avoid tourist-heavy places?
• Find fun indoor activities near me because it’s raining.

I even asked ChatGPT to come up with an all-in-one prompt that covers every request possible when you’re requesting its aid during your road trip research and planning:

Act like an elite road trip planner, travel hacker, local guide, and budget travel expert.

Help me plan the perfect summer road trip based on my preferences.

Ask me questions one at a time about: My starting location, budget, trip length, travel style, food preferences, interests, music taste, scenic vs. fast routes, hotel vs. camping preferences and who I’m traveling with. Then create a complete itinerary, driving schedule, budget breakdown, packing list, food reccomendations, hidden gems, scenic stops and backup rain plans. Then, optimize everything for fun, efficiency, low stress, and memorable experiences.

Building a road trip playlist, finding cheap gas and more

Once you’ve gotten the most important step out of the way when planning your summer road trip with the assistance of a chatbot, it’s time to move on to the next steps that will make your experience that much more lively:

• Using the voice chat option in Google Maps to locate the cheapest options to buy gas.
• Building the perfect music playlists for your open road journey with the ChatGPT-enabled Apple Music app and the Claude-powered Spotify “Connector. Spotify also has an app within ChatGPT, by the way.
• If you’re going on a solo road trip and are more interested in vibing out to narratives over music, you can get audiobook recommendations from Audible from right inside Claude.
• You’re going to get the munchies during your time out on the road, of course. In this case, using the Resy Connector inside Claude to find the top spots to grub at during your road trip is worth a try.
• ChatGPT also has access to apps for Expedia and TripAdvisor, which come in handy whenever you’re looking to book a top-rated hotel during your road trip if you’re planning to stay at one.
• Chances are high that you’ll be looking to attend a sporting event or concert during your road travels. ChatGPT apps such as Ticketmaster, SeatGeek and StubHub are reliable enough to find your best prices and seats for those events.

Bottom line

I’m sure most of you reading this right now are staring at your suitcases and muttering to yourself, “soon…”

Heading out on the road with your best friends or enjoying that road trip getaway with your family or even alone, starts to look and sound that much more delightful for folks like me who reside in states that stay colder a lot longer than it remains warmer. When the time finally arrives for you and anyone who wants to come along to take advantage of that PTO you’ve been saving up for so long, spend some time with AI to help you build the perfect road trip itinerary.

Hopefully, my tips will give you all the best ways to make your dreams of hitting the open road for an unforgettable road trip a reality.

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As a working mom of three, my life often feels like controlled chaos. My oldest is on a travel soccer team, my middle child has special needs and my youngest is a wildcard. From school projects to birthday parties, keeping up with it all isn't easy.

But since I test AI every day and know just how helpful it can be for organization and productivity, I figured I'd try leaning into it for parenting help, too. Hear me out. I'm not talking about robots raising my kids or even in the way Sam Altman said that he "couldn't imagine raising kids without ChatGPT."

The way I'm using AI feels natural and organic. And now that I started using five tools in particular, I don’t think I’d want to parent without them anymore.

1. Gemini

Being a parent of school children, especially in "Maycember" — the month filled with state testing, spirit week, field day and just about anything else that can be crammed into the final weeks of school — is not for the weak.

If your child has ever come home from school saying, "I was supposed to wear yellow today!" you already know that feeling of dropping the ball. Now, I never miss those days because Gemini helps me keep my family calendar under control. So far, I haven't missed anything this month and even managed to remember Teacher Appreciation Week before it ended. If you know, you know.

I even use Gemini for weekend planning. For example, I'll use the prompt: “Help me figure out how to get from a soccer game in [town] to a birthday party in [town].

Other questions have included: “What’s the best route if I need to stop for pizza first?” And, “How early should we leave if traffic is usually bad around 5 p.m.?”

It sounds small, but removing even a little bit of logistical stress makes a huge difference when you’re juggling multiple kids and schedules. AI helps calm the chaos.

2. ChatGPT

ChatGPT has become my instant parenting sounding board. Whether I'm using ChatGPT Voice and Vision to help me put my son's new bike together or immediately need the answer to "What dinosaur weighed the most?" ChatGPT is great in a pinch.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve opened OpenAI’s ChatGPT and typed something like: “My kids won’t stop fighting — what do I do?”

Or: “How do I explain inflation to a 5-year-old?” Or even: “What’s a calm consequence for a kid who refuses to get ready for school?”

Generations before us had parenting books — many of which I've read. But when I need immediate support, AI can be extremely helpful. No, AI doesn’t replace real parenting advice or experts, it just offer quick advice. Because, in those immediate overwhelmed moments, especially in the afternoon when the kids are bouncing off the walls, it helps me slow down, think clearly and respond more calmly instead of reacting emotionally.

Sometimes I just need a neutral voice that helps me reframe the situation.

3. NotebookLM

Nothing makes me feel old like looking at a middle schooler's homework. I look at the math and it just looks so completely different from the way I learned it. But, NotebookLM is very helpful when I need to help understand homework without frustration.

Whether it's math, science, history or just about any other topic, I simply upload their notes, study material and homework assignments. From there, the AI becomes interactive and helps them with flash cards and quizzes. I can practice with them, or leave them alone and the AI is like a tutor.

The biggest difference is that it removes some of the emotional tension. Instead of me repeatedly saying: “No, that’s not what the question means…” the AI becomes a neutral helper. And somehow, kids are often more willing to listen to technology than their parents anyway.

4. Alexa+ and ChatGPT Voice

I know this one sounds ridiculous, but when I'm on a deadline or in a meeting and need my kids to just "give me 5 minutes," I let them talk to AI. If you're a parent of young children, you already understand how valuable five uninterrupted minutes can feel.

Sometimes I’ll use Amazon’s Alexa+ to play games, answer silly questions or entertain my kids while I unload groceries, cook dinner, answer and important email, clean or mentally recover for two seconds.

Alexa+ has a "fart pack" that my kids have enjoyed. And yes, I’ve also handed ChatGPT Voice mode to my toddler before. But beyond that, both AIs have games that are fun for kids to play. Rock, paper, scissors is a favorite in our house.

And no, I don't let them use AI all day. But in those moments where I desperately need a breather? It genuinely helps. The funny part is that toddlers love talking to AI because it never gets tired of answering questions like: “What if a dinosaur ate macaroni on the moon?” Honestly, sometimes the AI has more patience than I do by bedtime.

5. Google Maps

I genuinely don’t think modern parenting works without Google’s Google Maps anymore. My life is basically soccer fields, gymnastics competitions, birthday parties, grocery runs and trips to the trampoline park.

Google Maps has become the invisible system holding all of it together. Whenever my son's travel soccer schedule comes out for the season, I always say, "Where is this town?" Or "I've never heard of this place!" more times than I can count.

That's why the real-time traffic updates, alternate routes, accurate arrival times and even savings on gas, remove so much stress from daily parenting logistics. And when you’re driving exhausted kids across New Jersey, those things matter.

Final thoughts

When I first started using AI regularly to help me parent, I felt a little guilty. Generations before us were able to parent just fine, why couldn't I handle it all? I could and know I can, but when modern conveniences are available that actually help me stay calm and be a better parent, I say why not go for it?

None of these tools are replacing human connection, patience or real parenting.

But they are helping reduce friction in everyday life and sometimes that tiny reduction in stress is the difference between feeling overwhelmed and feeling capable. As a mom of three, I’ll take every little win I can get.

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There’s an inherent advantage to using a vehicle's stock navigation app, as it often provides more accurate battery data than Google Maps running via your phone. However, Google Maps is a core feature of Android Auto that makes any road trip a breeze — and thanks to a recent update, it’s making travel even easier for EV owners with new AI-powered features.

After adding your EV to the app, you can use Google Maps to plan your next drive, complete with battery stats and planned charging stops. The key improvement here is that the app combines the data you supply regarding your specific vehicle's energy consumption with real-time traffic, weather, and elevation changes.

There is some initial setup required, but once it's done, you can instantly start planning EV-optimized routes. Here’s how to enable Google Maps to deliver accurate battery predictions for your electric vehicle.

Google's announcement states that you need to manually enter your EV's current charge level. However, when I planned a trip in my Ford F-150 Lightning, Maps already knew my truck's battery status. Your experience may vary.

When viewing the route, you'll see your charging stops along the way, including the estimated time you'll spend at each. There's also an option to remove specific stops or all of them from the route — if you do, Maps will show you the exact spot where your car is projected to run out of juice.

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My hometown of New York City has an abundance of places to hit up whenever the weather is agreeable (before reverting to arctic temperatures at the drop of a hat).

Whenever I’m on the move, Google Maps tends to be my go-to GPS — as a millennial who was forced to print out the directions to Six Flags Great Adventure back in the day, it’s so convenient to have a lady in my phone tell me how to get to my location. With Gemini’s integration into Maps through the "Ask Maps" conversational interface, the app has become even more accommodating when I’m on the move.

Now that my city is getting a bit warmer and allowing me to do more exploring without freezing to death, I’ve been more inclined to discover some local hidden gems. And to do that, I tested Gemini in Google Maps to see where it could lead me based on a few helpful vocal commands.

Thankfully, it helped me find a wealth of new places worth touring.

Discovering new restaurants, arcades, record stores and comic book shops

Accessing Maps, using it while in navigation mode and simply saying “Hey Google” during my walkable routes turns Gemini into the perfect tour guide. For my fellow foodies, these are the three best prompts I use whenever I’m looking for a new place to eat:

• Show me some under-the-radar spots in [neighborhood] that locals love but tourists usually miss.
• Are there any hole-in-the-wall restaurants nearby that have a 4.5+ rating but fewer than 200 reviews?
• I’m looking for a place with a cool vibe and a unique aesthetic that serves [type of food].

The first prompt led me to a wonderful spot in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, called “Cafe Mado,” which just so happens to be located near the Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Park, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Once I saw how useful Gemini in Google Maps could be as it steered me toward the next restaurant worth frequenting, I used other vocal prompts to push me in the right direction toward its recommended NYC record stores, comic book shops and arcades.

These are the vocal prompts I use to come upon any worthwhile spots from those three categories:

• For record stores: Find me a record store nearby that specializes in rare vinyl or has a great selection of 90s hip-hop or I’m at [current location]. Suggest a cozy record store I can walk to in under [time limit] that is still open for at least [time limit].
• For comic book shops: Are there any comic shops around here that have a wide variety of comic books from major and independent publishers? or Find a comic book shop near a highly-rated coffee house so I can read my new books immediately after buying them.
• For arcades: Find an arcade with vintage pinball machines and a dive-bar feel or My friends and I want to go to a retro arcade, but we also need a place that has good food. Can you find a spot that hits both?

On the record store front, Gemini in Maps introduced me to Human Head Records in Brooklyn. For comic book shops, Galaxy Collectibles — another standout Brooklyn spot — popped onto my radar as a highly rated store worth visiting. And the arcade Gemini helped me discover was Rullo’s, a Brooklyn hangout whose dive-bar atmosphere and lineup of pinball machines instantly spoke to my soul.

Beyond the places I chose to visit, Gemini in Maps also surfaced plenty of comparable spots tied to each of my hobbies. Now, as spring turns to summer, I can already see myself relying on my AI tour guide to map out routes to Needle + Groove Records, Everyone Comics & Collectibles and Coexist GameHouse.

The takeaway

Strolling through my city in search of a new favorite spot has quickly become one of my favorite hobbies now that Gemini in Maps works through voice chat. It turns wandering into something more useful, helping uncover places I might have walked past for years without noticing.

I’d recommend putting it to the test yourself to see whether it can guide you to somewhere new that instantly earns a place on your weekend list.

It’s also worth asking follow-up questions like, Why is [name of recommended place] considered a hidden gem? That extra context can help you learn what makes each recommendation special before you even arrive.

Have fun exploring and don’t worry about looking strange to passersby while chatting with Gemini about underrated dive bars, tucked-away cafes or neighborhood favorites worth checking out.

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Google Maps is getting updated all the time, but as a U.K.-based individual, I often have to wait a while before a lot of the best new features are actually available. For example, the Immersive Navigation update, which started rolling out in the U.S. and India last month, has failed to materialize on my English phone thus far.

So imagine my surprise when I found out Google Maps quietly rolled out an update solely for the U.K. Well, England, because apparently the rest of the U.K. wasn't formally invited to this party — even if I did see some stray bus details in parts of rural Wales.

The update is actually the result of the partnership between Google and the U.K.government, which explains that whole exclusivity thing. The goal is to allow passengers in England to track buses in real time, with an emphasis on rural areas, where you may only get a single bus a day.

Few things are worse than standing at an unsheltered bus stop, braving the English weather, and having no idea whether the bus is actually going to show up or not.

The new bus support is basic — but useful

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I first heard about Google Maps' newfound love of English buses. The update came with almost no fanfare, and I can't even see a Google blog post about it — just a brief mention in an official U.K. government press release.

The buses in my local area are quite well regarded, and one of the reasons is the official app that shows you the real-time location of each bus on a map of the local area — with updates happening every 10 seconds or so. In my mind, I had envisioned a Waze-looking map interface, showcasing all the different buses across England with a variety of designs.

Sadly, Google has not gone this far, and the implementation of this bus data is actually pretty basic — though that doesn't make it any less useful. You may not be able to track the physical location of a specific bus, but Google Maps will warn you if your bus has been delayed and won't be arriving at the scheduled time.

You need to start the navigation process to see all this, with the routing set to use public transport. In the list of route options, you'll see the word "delayed" in red lettering, warning you that timings are off. Tapping that particular option will then tell you how much of a delay to expect and the new estimated arrival time.

Crucially, this updated ETA means Google can adapt to transit delays and offer new routes accordingly. That way, if there are multiple bus routes you could take, Google will showcase the most efficient ones based on when the bus will actually arrive. Likewise, knowing your arrival time might be delayed lets you find alternative arrangements right there within Google Maps.

Local transit apps have shown how Google Maps could improve

Remember how I said I envisioned a Google Maps with buses moving along the map in real time? It sounds a little odd, but it's something that can be done. In fact, the company that runs all my local buses has its own app, complete with a real-time map of all the vehicles in operation. It's not the only one, either, with various local transit apps offering that real-time visualization of where their vehicles are.

So not only can you see all the bus stops and live departure information, but you can also see exactly where the next bus is and follow its progress along the map. There's a huge amount of difference between knowing the bus should be two minutes away and being able to see that it's actually a mile down the road.

If these are features that a local government can put together, with all the budgets and financial pressures that entail, then it's definitely something that a multi-trillion-dollar company like Google can accomplish.

Google Maps is pretty cluttered, though, so this would have to be one of those map features you toggle on and off, but there's no logistical reason why this couldn't be done. Google could even utilize AI to better approximate the movement of each vehicle between updates.

I should mention here that none of this data is directly collected by Google; instead, it's seems to be coming from the Bus Open Data Service (BODS), which features detailed information about buses across England. This includes vehicle location, fares data and timetabling, and essentially does all the hard work for services like Google and any other interested parties. You can even see some bus delay information in Apple Maps, though so far I can't find any announcement to verify how long it's been there.

Still, with the data already collected, there's certainly room for Google to expand upon it and add better functionality for those people who don't necessarily drive everywhere. Because why should cars get all the cool new features?

Bottom line

It's nice to see that Google Maps is adding features in my area, even if it is a small quality-of-life update rather than something incredibly extravagant. Considering how important buses and other forms of public transit are to people across the U.K., it's great to see more of the data it generates being put to good use.

It is a very basic addition, and I would like to see Google expand upon other things to offer better and more immersive features for regular public transit passengers. But this is certainly a good start, and I'd like to see it rolled out to a much wider area — ideally starting with the rest of the U.K.

I imagine that the rollout will be limited by the amount of data collected and made available by public transit authorities. But that shouldn't stop Google Maps and other navigational apps from boosting their public transit presence wherever they can.

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Part of the joy of living in New York is finding new types of cuisine. Quality restaurants are abundant in my city and it always amazes me how many of them cover different cultures and the types of food they specialize in.

I’m always quick to scour my Instagram discovery page since it's filled with posts themed after “cool places to eat” and “unique foods you didn’t know existed.” A quick Google search also works wonders for me whenever I’m on the lookout for a new place to dine at and eventually keep on my list of the best restaurants in the city.

Now that I’ve gotten a lot better at this whole AI prompting business, I got inspired to test ChatGPT’s ability to be my new restaurant recommendation assistant. With the following 10 prompts in my back pocket, I found a host of new eat-in places to enjoy thanks to ChatGPT’s helpful responses.

Embarking on new quests for delicious cuisine is so much easier now, thanks to ChatGPT.

Prompting new selections for lunch and dinner

When the time arrives for me to finalize a new restaurant pick to consider and do my background research on, I tap into one of these 10 prompts for specific situations instead of using the overly generic prompt What’s good near me?:

• Searching for a specific restaurant for date night: Find me the best cozy date-night restaurants near me with dim lighting, great wine, and a quiet atmosphere.
• Cheaper alternatives: What are the best affordable [price range] [type of food] spots near me that locals actually love and aren’t tourist traps?
• Hidden Gems: Show me underrated or lesser-known restaurants near me that have amazing food but aren’t widely talked about.
• Looking for a specific dish: Where can I find the best [type of food] near me right now? I want top-tier quality.
• After dark munchies: What are the best places near me that are open late right now and still serve great food?
• Solo dining selections: Recommend the best restaurants near me for a solo dinner where I can eat well and not feel rushed.
• Restaurant comparisons: Compare the top five [type of food] restaurants near me and tell me which one is actually worth it and why.
• Ignoring social media hype and looking for highly reviewed options: What restaurants near me have consistently great reviews across Google, Yelp, and locals—not just viral hype?
• Looking for good food and good vibes: Give me restaurants near me where the experience is as good as the food (ambiance, service, unique concept).
• Three Options, Three Vibes: Give me 3 can't-miss restaurants near me tonight—one casual, one mid-range, and one upscale.

Delicious results

With any of these 10 prompts, ChatGPT has more specific details to work with when it combs every corner of the web to find me my next food destination spot.

And for each of these requests, I make sure to follow ChatGPT’s responses with the question Which one would you pick and why? It’s always fun to see what my chatbot food assistant would want to dine at if it had the ability to physically enjoy the finest Thai cuisine in New York City.

As an example of some of the best restaurants I ended up choosing based on the results delivered by ChatGPT on behalf of the third prompt, the underrated spots I found near Bryant Park in Manhattan are Café China, DONDON KOREAN BBQ, Mitr Thai and Los Tacos No. 1.

ChatGPT did a fine job of finding the top options for that prompt by displaying a map with each option attached to its star rating, a summary of what it has to offer, contact details, and a direct link to its site. The chatbot also supplied me with bonus restaurant recommendations and general advice on how to spot the real hidden gems in my area (such as “the best underrated spots tend to have small interiors or odd entrances like upstairs spots”).

To narrow down my options even further, ChatGPT offered to find the best cheap lunch spots under $15, date-night hidden gems near Bryant Park, or the absolute best single dish to order in this area. And, of course, I asked the chatbot which one of those options it would ultimately choose on its own.

The takeaway

ChatGPT helps steer me toward restaurants I might not have known about before and helps me build a go-to list that I can bring up for future solo and group hangouts.

The 10 prompts I use aren’t just great for finding great places to eat in my hometown—they’re also great to use whenever I find myself in a location while on vacation.

If packing on a few extra pounds because of ChatGPT’s dining recommendations is the price I have to pay to keep my hunger at bay, then so be it.

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Google is rolling out changes to its popular Maps platform that will make it easier for anyone to post photos, reviews, videos and other content to help them boost their Local Contributor status.

Most of the changes involve integrating Gemini into Maps to speed up processes. If you’re sick of scrolling endlessly through your photo library or writing complicated captions, you’ll love the updates coming to Google Maps.

And if you don’t care about sharing yourself, the fact that Google's making it easier for other people to post content will still benefit you, as you’ll find more places you’re considering about going to have photos and videos to browse.

What’s new in Google Maps?

There are three core updates coming to Google Maps, and they’re built around user contributions rather than traditional navigation.

The first big change is that Google is making it easier to find the right image for sharing. Rather than endlessly scrolling through images, Google will suggest photos and videos from your recent experiences, highlighted directly in the Contribute tab, saving contributors time and effort. This means it’s just a matter of you tapping and posting the content that works for the place you’re sharing.

This feature is now available globally on Android and will expand to iOS in the coming months.

The next update leverages the company’s popular Gemini models to suggest a draft image caption, saving you time. Once you choose the photos, either manually or via the update above, the AI tool will analyze them to generate captions that you can edit or replace with your own words if you don’t like what it spits out. Caption suggestions are now available in English on iOS in the U.S. and will expand globally and to Android in the next few months.

The final update focuses on helping Google Maps contributors to see how they’re doing overall. Now, total points will be displayed directly on the Contribute tab, and Local Guide levels will be more prominently featured on profile pages. Google is also updating its achievement badges so it’s easier to see if you’re an expert fact-finder, a master photographer, or a rising novice.

For people who enjoy writing, posting and generally sharing on Google Maps, these features are now rolling out to Android, iOS and desktop.

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One of my biggest EV gripes is that EV-specific navigation, with routes that account for your charging needs, has only been available with the built-in navigation system. If your car's navigation is awful, like mine, you're essentially cut off from that crucial piece of tech — and completely reliant on mobile apps like Google Maps.

But Google is changing that, and has announced that AI-powered charging predictions will be coming to Google Maps for over 350 different electric vehicles. Essentially, this means Google Maps will be able to calculate when it thinks you'll have to stop to recharge, recommend an appropriate stop for your route, and account for charging time in your ETA.

Opened up to more cars

Obviously, Google Maps already does this if you have one of the "cars with Google built-in," which run on a version of Android. In those instances, Google Maps is hooked into the car's computer and can read battery information in real time — which isn't what's happening here.

This new system works with Android Auto (sorry iPhone users), which runs on your phone and doesn't link up to the in-car computer. Instead, you'll need to enter your EV's information into Maps, along with your battery percentage. Once Google knows what car you have and how big the battery is, it uses AI to calculate a route based on road elevation, real-time traffic levels and weather data.

It's important to remember that this is only an estimate, and without access to real-time battery data, Google Maps can't automatically update the route as you drive. Certain apps can do this with a link to your car's OBD-II port, but that's not something Google is offering.

This means that factors affecting driving efficiency that Google doesn't know about, such as a roof rack or a trunk full of heavy stuff, will drain your battery much faster than Google Maps can predict.

So be sure to keep tabs on your battery level, and be aware that Google's estimates are not Gospel. The last thing you want is to be stranded on the side of the highway because you decided to put all your trust into a mobile app.

Google Maps is rolling out its new AI-powered battery predictions in the U.S. right now, with support for 15 brands and over 350 different EV models. While we don't have a full list of the exact cars, Google has confirmed that the following brands are supported:

• Audi
• BMW
• Chevrolet
• FIAT
• Genesis
• Hyundai
• Jaguar
• Kia
• Lexus
• Lucid
• Mercedes-Benz
• Nissan
• Porsche
• Subaru
• Toyota
• Volkswagen

Cars that run on Android directly, like Polestars, aren't included. Nor are the car brands that don't support Android Auto, like Tesla or Rivian. Then again, they all have their own charging-friendly navigation systems that will probably do a better job.

If you're unsure about whether your car is part of this, you can put your vehicle into Google Maps and see if estimated battery usage is available. You just need to be in the U.S., and have Google Maps 25.44 and up on an Android phone. Considering version 26.13 was released last week, updating should be fairly simple.

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When news broke that Nottingham and Derby councils in England had collaborated on a new transit app for both cities, combining the many (MANY) transit providers in the area and offering real-time tracking and in-app ticket purchasing, residents—especially my navigationally-challenged self—were pretty pleased.

Most transit companies' apps are, to put it politely, absolute steaming garbage. So, trying to navigate between them all to complete one relatively simple journey is maddening at the best of times.

However, given that English councils are notoriously cash-strapped at the moment, there were some raised eyebrows about the cost: A hefty £4 million ($5m) of taxpayer money. Considering Nottingham City Council effectively declared itself bankrupt in 2023 and Derby City Council recently hiked taxes by the maximum allowed, it's fair to wonder where exactly the money for Ride East Midlands, as the app is called, came from.

The answer, pitchfork-carriers will be pleased to hear, is the government. A £15m ($20m) grant from its Future Transport Zones (FTZ) programme covered the cost as part of a bigger scheme to improve mobility in the Midlands. This does mean the money still came out of the public's pocket, but the government does have a few more pennies to play with than your typical beleaguered city council.

Who's this app for?

In short, this app is for people like me: people who a) live in the cities of Nottingham or Derby, b) sometimes like going to places in those cities, and c) would prefer not to get hopelessly lost on the way.

Without assistance, I go in the wrong direction almost 100% of the time. Worse, I'm completely, totally certain that this time I've gone the right way. Then I find myself back where I started and my partner laughs at me.

I've gone the wrong way on the London tube, despite doing the same journey every day, and ended up at the wrong end of the line after the last train had left. I've gotten lost making the five-minute journey from my office to the lunch place around the corner. When we moved into our house, I got lost several times in the first week. It's not exactly a large place, but in my defence, the floor plan is absurd.

In short, I am this app's perfect customer: If it helps me get where I'm going without having a little cry, I will use it forever.

Why does Ride exist?

Understandably, people have questioned the need for so much money and council time to be used on yet another travel app. Google Maps launched in 2005, which is apparently 21 years ago (time flies) and fulfils most people's navigational needs for zero dollars (and access your data).

The idea for Ride East Midlands is sound, though. What do a bunch of Californian programmers know about getting around the dodgy end of England's 22nd largest city?

Judging by Google Maps' pronunciation of U.K. place names, absolutely nothing. Plus, there really are a ton of independent companies running the bus, train, tram, e-scooter, e-bike and car rental services here. Nobody wants to deal with all their separate ticket systems, timetables and schedules when they're running late for their mom's goldfish's birthday party.

In addition to the "one app to rule them all" approach, Ride East Midlands offers several tempting features that Maps doesn't:

• Track buses in real time
• Buy tickets for all travel operators without needing apps and accounts
• View the location and battery level of e-bikes and e-scooters
• Find and book rental cars
• Set preferences for operators, types of transport and how far you're willing to walk

These features make Ride more akin to apps like Citymapper, which is excellent but only works well in major cities, or TfL Go, which only works in London. It's kind of nice to feel like Nottingham and Derby are as worthy of a specific app as the big metropoles, even if it does come off a bit like a throw pillow that says "New York. Paris. Jacksonville."

Does it actually work?

I had a bunch of old tech I needed to sell to CeX, a national retailer that is best described as a kind of pawn shop that only sells used games and tech. It's slightly more glamorous than it sounds, and after looking up my nearest branch (Beeston), I asked both Ride and Google Maps to plot me a course.

Setting up

Instantly, I remember why public transport is considered such a hassle around here. To get to Beeston, which is 6.4 miles from my house, I have to go all the way to the city centre (5.1 miles) and then all the way back out (4.6 miles). In other words, I'm travelling 10 miles to go 6 miles. That's one way, and it doesn't account for the inevitable return trip.

In a car, this journey takes around 15 minutes, depending on traffic. On public transport, it will take one hour and one minute according to Google Maps or 57 minutes according to Ride. It seems that $5m might have been better spent improving routes through the city.

Setting up Ride, it asks me to sign in to something called "Trafi.com". I go to the URL and find it's an app to "connect and integrate all the mobility options — from public transport to micro-mobility into a single multi-modal journey planning platform."

If that looks and sounds familiar, it's because it's the same blasted app as Ride. That's plainly obvious if you superimpose the Ride homescreen next to their press image:

Oh. So this isn't a brand new, coded-from-scratch piece of tech — which would go some way to justifying the price tag. It's a white-labelled pre-existing app that they've fed data and branding into. That's much less impressive.

Worse still: According to Trafi's press release, licensing their app for Nottingham and Derby cost £2.6m (about $3.5m) of the £4m ($5m) budget. Oof.

The Nottingham and Derby version is on the Trafi website, but it looks like it was put up in a hurry. The URL ends in "/copy-of-brussels-floya" while the page title is Trafi: Floya app (Brussels). Floya is the version of the app you'd find in the Belgian capital city.

To make matters worse, the quote from Ride's programme manager is less than inspiring:

After grumbling about misleading marketing, I set my travel preferences in Ride. I go for the big three: bus, train and tram. I'll leave the e-scooters to the teenagers and the rental cars to people who can actually drive.

Setting off

Both apps inform me that I need to walk to a bus stop, get a bus to the train station, change over to a tram heading towards Beeston, then walk to CeX.

Ride and Maps agree on the bus I should take, but disagree on what time it'll arrive: Google says 4.13 p.m., Ride says 4.15 p.m., and the supposedly real-time tracker at the bus stop itself says 11 minutes (4.17 p.m.).

In the end, the bus came at 4.16 p.m., so they were all wrong, but I did get to watch it trundling along in real time on the Ride map.

While we wait, I try Ride's key feature: the ability to buy a bus ticket within the app. It immediately redirects me to the NCT bus operator's website, which wants me to make an account. Annoyingly, even though the app directed me to the website, the ticket I bought there did not appear in Ride.

Both of these things have apparently been fixed in the weeks since.

On the bus

Both apps offer a list of the 27 stops between here and the station, and allow you to watch yourself progress through them in real time. However, the Ride app kept randomly losing GPS signal, and often got stuck at a stop for ages before suddenly catching up. Google Maps, using the same phone, had no such issues.

Google also proved superior in that it counted down the stops and time remaining, so when I'd gone 8 stops, it said "Ride 19 stops (16 min)." All while Ride still said "27 stops, 24 min".

Maps also had a nice little nav ribbon that stayed on my notification bar, and a bigger one when I pulled down the notification shade with a journey progress bar. This is part of Android 16's Live Updates feature, and while still in its infancy, it's a very helpful feature to have.

Along the way, I found one of the stops had slightly changed its name, according to the location screen and announcement on the bus itself. Neither Google Maps nor Ride knew this, but Google does provide the official NCT bus stop codes, which Ride doesn't.

Google also knew the bus departed late and gave the new time, which Ride did not. Perhaps those Silicon Valley types know more about Nottingham than I gave them credit for.

Next leg

Having arrived at the (gray and rainy) Nottingham train station, Ride directed me to the tram stop. The route it chose was directly through the station building, which wasn't obvious to me at all, and left me looking for roads that didn't exist.

That said, my partner, who has a normal sense of direction, knew exactly what it meant, so your mileage may vary.

I succeeded in buying a ticket for NET (Nottingham Express Transit, the tram company) from within Ride as promised. Success! It even showed up on the tickets page.

At this point, Ride was telling me the tram would be here at 4.47 p.m., but wouldn't let me watch it on the map. Apparently, there's no real-time data for trams, which is disappointing. Maps said 4.47 p.m. too, but the sign at the tram stop said 5 minutes (4.50 p.m.).

At 4.47 p.m., Ride and Google Maps decided the tram had gone, and started showing me the next one. It arrived at exactly 4.50 p.m., suggesting the real-time tram boards have better data than the apps. Ride East Midlands admits it doesn't currently have tram data, but I assumed that was because there wasn't any. But if the departure boards have that information, why doesn't Ride?

Again, Google Maps knew the tram left late and at what time, Ride didn't. Worse, Ride was telling me several stops before the end of the journey that we'd arrive at 5.03 p.m. when it was already 5.04 p.m. It seems it was religiously adhering to the scheduled times and not accounting for delays. Google suggested we'd arrive at 5.09 p.m. and we got there at 5.10 p.m. Close enough, I guess.

Last leg

Time to walk to CeX, which Google says is 6 minutes and 0.2 miles away, Ride says 5 minutes and 405 meters (0.25 miles). Once again, Ride doesn't count down and still says 5 minutes when we get there, but it does show our progress in real time on the map. As does Google, which automatically updates to show we've arrived.

At the start of the trip, Google predicted we'd arrive at 5.09 p.m., Ride at 5.07 p.m. Our actual time of 5.16 p.m. isn't bad compared to those estimates, but once again, the American Google Maps beats out locally-made (well… locally branded) Ride for accuracy.

Once I'd traded in my tech, I asked Ride the way home, took one look at the giant list of instructions and ordered an Uber.

Since I didn't swipe through all the screens of the entire journey and press "finish," Ride was still running when I opened the app a week later. It was telling me to walk back to Beeston so I could start my journey home. that's definitely not happening.

Would I use Ride again?

I'm basically Ride's key customer. I live in Nottingham, can't navigate to save my life, and can't deal with all the transport apps. However, I'm not sure I'd use it again.

I'll keep it on my phone, and if I feel like Google Maps isn't doing a good enough job or I want to watch my bus in real time, I might open it. But for step-by-step navigation, it wasn't as good as the much more intuitive Google Maps.

I definitely don't want to sign up to all the operators' websites to buy tickets in the future, but you don't actually have to. You can make contactless payments on buses and buy tram tickets at the machines.

Ride just doesn't add enough to make it worth the glitches and information gaps, and as for being worth $5m—especially when it turned out to be developed by someone else—I personally don't believe that it's value for taxpayer money.

Like me trying to navigate, it's neither here nor there.

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Gas prices near me have been all over the place lately. More than just going up, they've been inconsistent.

I’m not talking about a few cents here and there. I’ve seen differences of 30 to 40 cents per gallon within a few blocks. And after a while, it started to bother me. Not enough to obsess over, but enough to wonder:

How much money am I wasting driving extra miles to the closest gas station?

So instead of guessing — or defaulting to the gas station around the corner — I opened Google Maps and actually used it to find the cheapest gas nearby.

Google Maps has quietly gotten better at surfacing real-time info

Google Maps is even more useful now thanks to recent updates that have leaned into AI. Users get more natural, question-based searches and smarter recommendations — so instead of just showing places on a map, it’s starting to help you decide where to go.

That shift might sound small, but in practice, it changes how you use it. Instead of tapping the closest option, you can ask better questions — and actually get useful answers.

I started with the obvious search. The first thing I did was use "Ask Maps" and typed “gas near me” into Google Maps.

Right away, it pulled up a list of nearby stations — but what stood out was that many of them showed live price estimates for regular gas. I could instantly see which stations were cheaper and which were not.

And the difference was bigger than I expected. One station less than a mile away was nearly 25 cents cheaper than the one closest to me, another was a whopping 40 cents more.

Up until recently I just assumed that all the gas stations around me were roughly the same, but Google Maps made me realize what I've been missing.

Google Maps is now so much more than a mapping platform

The "Ask Maps" feature now within Google Maps, makes it a lot more like Gemini. You can use now prompt Google Maps just as you would Gemini as a chatbot, or ChatGPT, for those more familiar with that.

INow, instead of just scanning pins on a map, I started using more natural searches:

“Where’s the cheapest gas near me?”

“Best gas stations on my route”

Google Maps didn’t just show locations, it highlighted options based on distance, price and convenience. This made a huge difference because in a lot of cases, the cheapest option wasn’t the closest — but it also wasn’t far enough away to ignore.

The feature that made the biggest difference

The biggest upgrade wasn’t finding cheap gas near me. Although that was huge and what I originally opened the app. But what made the biggest difference was finding cheap gas on my way.

Using the “search along route” feature while navigating, I could see gas stations that were slightly off my path — but still convenient enough to stop without going out of my way.

The reason that really changed everything for me was because instead of making a separate trip for cheaper gas, I could build it into where I was already going. The other day when I had to drive nearly an hour to meet my friend at the airport, I was able to use Google Maps to find the cheapest gas along the way.

And after trying this a few times since the update, I started noticing something — the most convenient gas stations were almost always the most expensive. Makes sense, but Google Maps put everything into perspective.

In fact, Google Maps shows popular times for many locations, and once I paid attention to it, I discovered that more traffic often meant higher prices (and longer waits). Meanwhile, stations that were slightly further away were consistently cheaper.

The bottom line

I have always preferred Google Maps over Waze, but the latest updates have made it significantly better. Now, I check Google Maps before heading out and compare nearby stations using “search along route.” Beyond the obvious convenience of a more useful app, it's actually saving me money, which is huge right now. Rather than driving around or asking friends where they go for gas, I get prices in real time.

Google Maps made it easier to make a better decision. And now, instead of defaulting to the same gas station out of habit, I take a few extra seconds to check — and that small shift is already starting to add up.

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For years, I used Google Maps the same way most people do. I'd decide to leave, enter my destination, and start my trip. If traffic or delays appeared on the route, I'd see them during navigation and either deal with it or take whatever alternate route the app suggested.

It never occurred to me to check conditions before stepping out the door. Google Maps was something I opened after deciding to go somewhere, not before. Then I started checking the traffic layer first, before leaving.

Now, I avoid the congestion I used to sit through. This one habit saves me 20+ minutes daily, and it's the simplest change I've made to how I use Google Maps.

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Google just announced two big new Gemini features for Google Maps. In fact, Google claims that this will be the "biggest navigation upgrade in over a decade."

The first big change is a conversational feature called "Ask Maps", which is designed to let you ask Google Maps more complicated questions that it never could have handled before. The idea is that this enhances the discovery experience in a way that's faster and more convenient for you, since you don't have to go sifting through reviews or do your own research to find things out.

Examples offered by Google include declaring that your phone is dying, and you need to find a place to "charge it without having to wait in a long line for coffee." Or, something a little simpler, like asking about public tennis courts that have lights and are available to use tonight.

Anything you ask about will be answered conversationally, just like any other Gemini feature, alongside a customized map that helps you pick out your different options. Responses will include clear directions and ETAs, as well as insider tips from other Maps users.

The results are also personalized based on what Maps already knows about you — meaning Ask Maps shouldn't offer anything outrageously unsuitable. So, if you only eat at vegan restaurants, it's not going to direct you to a steakhouse, and things like that.

Ask Maps is rolling out to Android and iOS in both the U.S. and India right now.

Immersive Navigation

Next up is Immersive Navigation, which promises a "complete transformation of the navigation experience" thanks to new visuals and more intuitive directions. This is supposed to help you stay focused as you're driving, while still being informed about what's going on around you.

Google Maps is going to change to offer a 3D view of the world around the road, such as buildings and overpasses, while highlighting the crucial road details ahead of you — including lanes, crosswalks, traffic lights and stop signs. Those buildings are transparent too, so they shouldn't get in the way of the actual navigation.

Gemini actually powers this new "spatial understanding" of your route, as Google is calling it. Google Maps is basing its information on Street View and aerial photos to make Google Maps more visually appealing and informative.

But there's more to this than just looks, according to Google. You'll now be able to see more of your route, with smart zooms and transparent buildings helping to highlight difficult areas in advance.

More natural voice guidance

Voice guidance has also been updated to be a little more natural, rather than the flat, robotic GPS voices we've been hearing for the past 20+ years, and will highlight various visual cues to help you prepare for the next stage of navigation.

Google Maps will also ensure you know all the pros and cons of alternate routes before you take them. So if there's a different route with less traffic, but more physical distance involved, you can decide whether that's worthwhile. The same goes for any faster routes that may have things like tolls.

Other useful features coming as part of this update include real-time disruption alerts on your route, and the ability to preview your destination with Google Street View. Part of that also includes Maps highlighting building entrances, nearby parking and the side of the street you'll need to be on.

Immersive Navigation starts rolling out today to users in the U.S., including those with iOS, Android, CarPlay, Android Auto and cars with Google built-in.

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As the U.S. and Iran conflict rages on, oil prices are going up thanks to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. It means gas for your car is getting even more expensive, with the prices already creeping up.

The New York Times reported that gas prices have gone up every day for 11 straight days since Iran began retaliatory strikes against Israel and American allies in the Middle East.

Globally, war can be blamed for rising gas prices. In 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, gas prices hit an all-time high of $5.01 per gallon. According to AAA's fuel price tracker, this week the national average gas price hit $3.58 per gallon, which is $0.40 higher than the previous week and nearly a $1 more than February.

Paying more at the pump is inevitable, but there are still ways that you can try and find the cheapest gas near you. Here's how to use Google Maps to save money on gas.

How to use Google Maps to find cheap gas

It's a fairly straightforward process, but the information is in different places depending on if you're using the mobile app or browser version.

Here's how it goes on your phone.

How to use Google Maps to plan a more fuel-efficient route

Since 2022, Google has offered the ability to change your route based on different criteria. One of the available options is "eco-friendly" represented by a little green leaf icon.

The eco-friendly option is on by default, but you should leave it there because it will choose a more fuel-efficient path to help you save gas. Yes, sometimes the route is longer, but it means you'll stop less. Sometimes these routes are also more time-efficient, but you can swap to faster routes as needed.

Do you have any good strategies for finding cheap gas near you? Let us know in the comments.

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Google Gemini has gotten its fair share of upgrades lately. From Gemini Flash-Lite, to NotebookLM's Video Overviews to even Lyria 3, the AI music generator inside the chat, Gemini is clearly a powerful AI assistant.

But I couldn't wait to give the latest update to Gemini Canvas a try, now that it offers AI Mode. So what can it do? Content creation that allows you to draft and edit documents, of course. Plus, you can do some coding, educate yourself on any topic imaginable, draw/edit images and even do some planning for your tasks & events.

I chose to put Canvas’s planning prowess to the ultimate test to see if it’s really worth using whenever I’m looking for something fun to do. I hopped into Gemini, clicked on Tools, activated Canvas, and used it to find activities in NYC that won’t cost me an arm and a leg. Then I asked it to build an itinerary for a destination vacation to Osaka, Japan.

Here’s how it all came together.

Canvas in AI Mode put a list together of the perfect things to do in my city

Having fun in New York City usually entails spending an entire paycheck to get the most out of whatever you’re planning to do.

I love Broadway plays, enjoy eating at a highly rated eatery I came across on my Instagram Discover page, and love spending hours browsing video games & books & vinyl at random Mom & Pop stores. But for my next journey through the city, I’m planning to pursue some free activities instead. So I made good use of this prompt to find those pursuits via Canvas in Gemini: “Build a list of the 10 best free activities to do in New York City this weekend.”

Canvas in AI mode did its thing by compiling a list of said events to check out from March 6 to March 8. Since Friday, March 6, has already passed, I plucked four happenings off of Canvas’ list that appealed to my love of museums, music, clothing, and LEGO.

Take a look at Canvas’ recommendations to see if they fall in line with what you’re trying to do as a local New Yorker this weekend:

• UNIQLO Bryant Park Grand Opening (510 5th Avenue at 42nd St, Friday – Sunday, starting at 10:00 AM): To celebrate their new flagship, UNIQLO is hosting a weekend of festivities. Expect free giveaways, Japanese cultural performances, and interactive installations
• The Jim Irsay Collection at Christie's (Christie’s at Rockefeller Center, Friday – Sunday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM): A rare, museum-quality public exhibition of historic music and pop-culture memorabilia. You can see Kurt Cobain’s "Smells Like Teen Spirit" guitar and Ringo Starr’s drum kit from the Beatles' debut on Ed Sullivan
• Unclaimed Baggage "Found Report" Pop-Up (2 Rivington Street in the Lower East Side, Friday – Sunday, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM): The famous retailer of lost airline luggage is hosting a surreal pop-up shop and museum. You can browse (or buy) bizarre items found in lost suitcases and check out their "museum of oddities”
• LEGO Star Wars "SMART Play" Experience (Iron23 at 29 W 23rd St in the Flatiron District, Saturday – Sunday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM): A massive interactive experience for fans of all ages. This event features life-sized LEGO builds, hands-on building stations, and photo ops with Star Wars characters

Some of the other tasks Canvas in Gemini completed in relation to my request really impressed me. It included a “Quick Tips” section that gave me all the information I needed about locking in RSVPs for certain events, keeping the change to “Daylight Savings Time” in mind (it’s Sunday on March 8 at 2:00 AM folks, don’t forget!), and what the weather is going to be like.

Canvas in Gemini also went the extra mile by creating an easy-to-read infographic that included a wide range of helpful statistics, such as a categorical breakdown of the event types and an itinerary that displays each day & what to do on them.

It also did an amazing job with global activities

Sticking with the whole itinerary theme, I opted to ask Gemini to build me one for a week-long stay in Osaka, Japan (I’ve been to Tokyo already, so it’s about time I switch it up for my next visit to Japan!).

Canvas must know I’m a dedicated foodie because it outlined a week that encapsulated the "eat 'til you drop" spirit of Osaka. Besides all the food recommendations it made, Canvas in Gemini also made sure to include famous landmarks worth visiting and day trips that would be perfect for cities like Kyoto and Nara.

It also pointed out which card I should obtain to make my transit rides a less cumbersome experience, what devices I should pick up if I want good smartphone/laptop internet connectivity, and the types of restaurants I should keep an eye out for that usually have shorter line queues.

Here’s a look at the first three days and evening plans for what Canvas lovingly referred to as “Osaka: The Ultimate 7-Day 'Kitchen of the World’ Itinerary:

• Day 1 - Neon Lights & Street Food in Minami and Namba: Dive into Dotonbori. Take the classic photo with the Glico Running Man, then go on a "Kuinodaore" (eat 'til you drop) mission: try Takoyaki from a street stall and Okonomiyaki at a local sit-down spot
• Day 2 - History & High Views in the Osaka Castle Area: Visit the Umeda Sky Building at sunset. The "Floating Garden Observatory" offers a 360-degree open-air view of the city skyline
• Day 3 - Theme Park Thrills at Universal Studios Japan: Spend the day at Super Nintendo World (ensure you get an Area Timed Entry Ticket via the app early!) and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Like my previous request, Canvas in AI mode made sure to give me the option to generate an infographic based on my Osaka, Japan itinerary. But it also allows users to turn their inquiries into a web page, a quiz, and even flashcards (those last two options are better suited for professors, students, and researchers).

The takeaway

Canvas is already a powerful AI tool for tasks like writing, planning and coding. Now that it’s integrated with AI Mode, those capabilities are easier to access and use in everyday workflows.

I plan to keep experimenting with this interactive workspace. Because it’s built directly into the Gemini app, Canvas makes it simple to collaborate with the AI on a document, project or prototype instead of relying on a standard chat window.

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So I recently discovered something shocking about Google Maps on iPhone. While the app itself is more or less the same as the Android version, the same is not true for Google Maps on CarPlay. In fact, the whole experience couldn't be more different from what I've always assumed it would be like.

I'm primarily an Android user, and I only really use iPhones for work reasons and don't even have a SIM set up. So when I jump into my car, I've always got my Pixel 10 Pro plugged in with Android Auto up on the main infotainment screen. So imagine my shock when I finally opened up Google Maps on CarPlay and saw just how different it was from the Android version.

Foolishly, having used Google Maps on both Android and iPhone as a solo app, I assumed Google would offer a similar level of consistency in the car. But that's far from the case.

It's like travelling back in time

A brief look at Google Maps on Android Auto and you have all the makings of a modern navigation app. To borrow a phrase from Apple, it just works, and it's rather hard to describe the experience in any other way. You have a recreation of the standard Google Maps interface, albeit squashed into whatever-sized screen your car offers, alongside various features that operate as pop-ups on the main navigation screen.

Destination search, recent search history, a compass, incident reporting, zoom, quick settings — they're all usable and accounted for without covering up the entire map.

You can even use the touchscreen to move around the map, with the same gestures that are usable on your phone screen. The touch controls have been a little janky for me, but I've always assumed that's because my car is now 7 years old and never had a particularly good touchscreen to begin with.

Jumping over to CarPlay is almost like going back in time. The different features and menus cover up the entire screen, and the only movement around the map you can make is with a set of arrow keys. These are all fairly small details on their own, but combined Google Maps on CarPlay looks dated and old-fashioned.

It took me a few minutes to realize that the look of Google Maps on CarPlay looks a lot like Apple Maps with a Google skin. Which shouldn't be the case.

I will not make bold claims about how much more fully-featured Google Maps is on Android Auto. I've checked as best as I can, and the only thing I can see that Android Auto Google Maps has compared to CarPlay is the option to toggle on 3D buildings in the car. Or at least, that's the case in my region, and I can honestly say I don't think iPhone users are missing out on much there.

Still, I couldn't get over the fact that CarPlay Google Maps looks so dated compared to Android Auto. Considering how many people actually own iPhones, you'd think Google would be doing everything it could to try and compete with Apple Maps — which has a lot more system-level support as a result of it being an Apple app.

Google may not be able to integrate with Siri, but there must be something it can do, right? Well, at least part of the problem might be with Apple itself.

Apple has rules for CarPlay navigation apps

Considering Apple is known for implementing a bunch of rules app developers have to follow, I decided to check out the CarPlay developer's guide to see what was going on. It turns out, there are a lot of rules on what you can and can't do with a navigation app if you want it to be compatible with Apple's in-car software.

For starters, there's a rule that prevents developers from drawing "windows, alerts, panels, overlays, or user interface elements in the base view." Base view is the area with the actual map portion of the app. Naturally, Apple has limits on the number of buttons and icons that can appear on Base View, too, and it all may well preclude Google from using its overlay menus as it does on Android Auto.

It doesn't completely get Google off the hook for offering crappy menus, but it does explain why CarPlay doesn't offer the 1-to-1 Google Maps experience you'd find on Android Auto. And this explains why Waze follows a lot of the same rules, even if its unique art style helps it stand out more.

Apple also mandates the use of "panning mode" buttons because "drag gestures are not available in all vehicles." That was actually one of the things I was most confused about, and while I see some of the logic, I still can't understand why my car didn't let me move the map around with touch controls, because they're not prohibited. I guess I just have the wrong kind of screen. Thanks again, Nissan.

I'm not saying rules are bad. Driving is inherently dangerous, and Apple has a responsibility to ensure apps on its platform are safe and easy to use while you're driving. You can't plaster the map view with a bunch of windows and ads that will only serve to confuse the driver, and potentially cause problems.

The fact that Apple has rules in place to ensure a navigation app's voice prompts "work concurrently with the vehicle’s audio system" and " must provide turn-by-turn directions with upcoming maneuvers" makes me wonder what kind of nonsense app developers have tried to pull in the past. Because those are pretty basic and important features to have.

Plus, I'm sure there are plenty of ways Google Maps could work within the rules without making itself look like a terrible Apple Maps clone.

Bottom line

When your rules seemingly force all the competition to look more-or-less identical to your own app, I feel like you should take a step back and try to come up with a better system that allows for a bit more creative freedom. Then again, this is Apple we're talking about, so the odds of that happening are slim.

Google can definitely do a little bit more to make its CarPlay app look a little bit less, well, awful. I know my car's screen doesn't help, because it makes CarPlay look a little more blown-up and pixelated than it needs to be, but it doesn't change the fact that Google Maps just looks kinda bad. And if your app looks bad, why would people want to use it over the (arguably) more capable Apple Maps?

When people are declaring that an app is better on Android Auto, a platform with an awful lot of haters as it is, then you're definitely doing something wrong.

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One of the great things about modern navigation apps is that users are able to report any problems they see on the road. That feature gained traction with Waze, and the idea was that those reports help the app figure out whether it's going to negatively affect arrival time or not. So you're helping other drivers and they, in turn, help you.

Waze is far from the only app to offer it these days. Unsurprisingly, its cousin Google Maps also features incident reporting that works rather similarly. It wasn't always that way, but Google has made a lot of changes in recent years. Not only does it make the process a lot easier, but it also pools its reports in with those from Google-owned Waze.

The question is, which of these apps does the best? They seem very similar on the surface, but is that really the case? I decided to find out, testing the incident reporting process on mobile and using Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to simulate the driving experience.

Waze vs Google Maps: Incident Reporting on mobile

Simply opening up Google Maps and Waze on mobile shows a stark difference in the way you can report an incident. Waze has the report button front and center on the app screen, whereas Google Maps hides it until you actually start navigating. That's an easy few points for Waze, and lets passengers or pedestrians report road problems just as easily as drivers. This is true on Android and iPhone.

Waze also makes reporting incidents with your voice a lot easier than Google. The microphone button is prominently displayed at the top of the screen, and the settings menu has something called "Talk to report."

When this option is switched on, tapping the incident icon will automatically turn on the microphone so that you can tell Waze what's going on. However, I could only get this to work on Android, meaning iPhone users will have to do everything manually.

From what I can tell, Google Maps doesn't offer this feature, and attempting to ask Gemini to report an incident ends with the AI offering instructions on what to do. Hardly ideal.

Waze's reporting menu has more on offer, but it's readily apparent that a bunch of the options aren't road issues. It's just another way for users to contribute to Waze's crowdsourced system, by offering information like gas prices, weather, locations and more. At first glance, the number of incident options seems smaller than Google Maps — though this is rather deceptive.

Selecting one of these incidents actually opens up a second menu with more options. Traffic, for example, comes with the option for "heavy traffic" or "standstill," while Police includes general police presence, mobile cameras, hidden officers and police activity on the opposite side of the road.

With Google, what you see is what you get, with little room for nuance and additional context. Police means police, as an example, but there is a separate option to report a mobile speed camera too.

Waze vs Google Maps: Incident Reporting while driving

Incident reporting behind the wheel is a similar experience, though Google Maps on Android Auto has taken more measures to ensure that it's not distracting.

For instance, I was able to use voice commands to report problems without any particular issue. Once I figured out what the right commands were, obviously. I was able to do this with the voice control button on my steering wheel, and using the "Hey Google" wake-up word.

Waze functioned in much the same way. You could file reports with Google Gemini or Assistant, once you know the right combination of words. However, the automatic listening will also kick in if you tap the incident report on your display. While not totally hands-free, the fact that it automatically starts listening means there's one step less than Google Maps.

Once again, things don't work so smoothly with an iPhone. Using Google Maps on CarPlay features zero incident reporting options that I could see. And attempting to use voice commands led to Siri defaulting to Apple Maps. Waze fares a little better since the report button is visible on screen, letting you file reports by hand. But without the Talk to report feature, your options for doing it hands-free are just not there.

Waze offers fewer options while driving, but you still get the same selection of hazards to report across those same submenus. You're just missing smaller things like gas prices, which aren't exactly urgent.

It's worth noting that Waze doesn't give you the option to undo a report. Google Maps does give you about 5 seconds to change your mind before it actually sends the report. That's helpful if you're just trying to figure out how incident reporting works, but I'm not sure it makes much difference in the grand scheme of things.

However, the most important thing is that both apps make it easy to report without having to take your eyes off the road, or by letting whoever is riding shotgun do it on your car's infotainment screen.

Bottom line

if you're using Waze and Google Maps with an Android device, then your experience is going to be very similar. Both offer many of the same general incidents, and let you actually send those reports in ways that are (nearly) identical.

The fact that Waze offers a little more nuance to its reports and features the Talk to Report feature means that it's probably going to be more convenient in the long run. But you won't be missing much if you prefer to drive around with Google Maps over Waze.

The experience on iPhone is totally different, and the fact Waze offers the slightest bit of consistency on iOS gives it the edge over Google Maps. Honestly, as a long-time Android user, I didn't realize just how awful Google Maps looks on CarPlay compared to Android Auto. Google should probably do something about that in the near future. Otherwise, people will end up like Siri and just default to Apple Maps.

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It happens to all of us. When you drive the same routes for work, you can get into the habit of falling back on taking the same roads. But it’s a pitfall to avoid, and drivers need to be reminded about this mistake.

If you’re like me and use Android Auto or CarPlay practically every time you drive, there’s one thing I always recommend doing before you set off. Whether it’s commuting to work, or running a simple errand like heading to the grocery store a couple of miles away, I always recommend that you start up Google Maps before anything else.

After testing the best electric cars for nearly two years, this one innocuous piece of advice will save you the heartache of the unpredictable nature of the road. Here’s why.

Up-to-date traffic conditions

Google Maps is proof of the power of data. With so many active users, it offers some of the most accurate traffic alerts available — the number one reason I recommend it over other apps. In my Apple Maps vs. Google Maps face-off, I highlighted the superior navigation performance of Google Maps during rush hour.

Its ability to detect slowdowns and reroute me accordingly is why I always activate Google Maps whenever I drive. I know exactly which routes to take to and from work, but I still turn it on because it’s proactively looking for the fastest path.

In the past, I would just drive home without a second thought because I knew the way. But this is the mistake I mentioned earlier. On the New Jersey Turnpike, my natural inclination has always been to take the cars-only lanes — but there have been several times when Google Maps directed me to the truck lanes instead to avoid a backup.

Another example occurred during Christmas week while I was heading to Best Buy. The store is only about three miles from my house, but I felt compelled to put in the directions into Google Maps. It’s a good thing I did because the app took me on a roundabout way that avoided all the holiday congestion on my usual route.

Speed trap alerts

Secondly, Google Maps users (often in combination with Waze users) provide data on speed traps and police alerts. While these alerts are dynamically changing, I’ve found them helpful for being more cognizant of other drivers who slam on their brakes after seeing a police car in the median. At the same time, it allows me to better anticipate slower traffic movement in those areas.

I should note that Waze also does an excellent job of this, but since Google Maps now integrates it directly into the CarPlay and Android Auto experience, I have less need for other navigation apps. Apple Maps offers similar alerts, but I don’t find them to be nearly as reliable as Google Maps — and I can say the same for TomTom after testing it out.

Set it to full-screen mode

Another thing I’m guilty of doing when using Google Maps with CarPlay or Android Auto is forgetting to keep the app in full-screen mode. While I like how the dashboard views condense the layout of my active apps, it prevents me from seeing detailed notifications from Google Maps.

When it’s on the home screen, I don’t see the same traffic and speed trap alerts as I do in full-screen mode. Sure, I can still rely on audio cues, but I recommend keeping Google Maps in full-screen to see exactly where on your route these alerts appear.

No matter where you’re going, you really should always run Google Maps with CarPlay or Android Auto. Don’t fall into the habit of overlooking this simple step because I can attest that it will cut down on your driving time, while potentially saving you the headache of dealing with annoying traffic.

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If you've ever gotten annoyed trying to find where to go to lunch or what sites to see while on holiday, then Google Gemini could soon have solutions for you by integrating Google Maps directly into the app.

There have been indications that Google was looking to implement a new Maps tab into Google Gemini, but there was no idea how it would work. All we had heard from a prior teardown was that it would take the form of a new attachment button and work similarly to Google Maps' "Search This Area." However, in a recent teardown, Android Authority got the feature to work on the Google app version 16.6.58.ve.arm64.

The idea is to offer a new tab that allows users to quickly access an in-app version of Google Maps, then use that to attach a specific map area directly to a prompt. Users can ask Gemini questions about that location, for instance, restaurant suggestions, tourist attractions, and even hospitals, while getting the benefit of Gemini's more conversational tone and ability to respond to follow-up questions.

When you activate the Maps option in the attachment sheet, you’ll see a full-screen map view with a search icon in the top-right corner, a current location button, and a larger button to explore the area at the bottom. You can also opt to zoom in or out of the selected area before you attach it, while tapping the explore area adds the whole chosen region to your Gemini compose box.

There’s also a search UI option that lets you look up places, or you can choose a precise location to have Gemini focus on a specific place. However, according to the report, the feature wasn’t entirely accurate in its information. Apparently, the current version is capable of recognizing intent when it comes to questions and requests, but it isn't capable of reducing suggestions to precise locations.

How has this taken so long

While the feature might not be working quite right just yet, the actual idea is a solid one, which could lead many to wonder why it has taken so long for Google to introduce the feature.

The reality is that actually implementing Google Maps data directly into a generative AI is complicated and, as the current versions' results show, requires a lot of fine-tuning. However, Google has slowly been implementing more Gemini-backed AI features into the Google Maps app, which shows just how useful it can be. For instance, we saw numerous features within Google Maps improve with the implementation of Gemini, including landmark assistance that helps you better understand your journey.

We've also seen that Gemini, now officially supported in Google Maps, offers walking and cycling routes, bringing a conversational, hands-free experience to more users. Considering Google Maps is arguably the best map app for users who don't drive, this is a major win. We also saw numerous features within Google Maps improve with the implementation of Gemini, including landmark assistance that helps you better understand your journey.

There’s no clear indication of when we could see this new feature appear, but I would hope that we don’t have to wait too long. However, considering the current technical issues reported, we might be waiting for a while yet.

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There's a lot more to Google Maps than simply finding your way around. Google offers a wide range of features and plenty of information designed to help throughout your life. Unfortunately, the company has apparently decided that you're only allowed access to some of that information if you're signed in with a Google account.

If you choose to opt out of having a Google account, or at the very least logging into Google Maps with it, then you're going to end up looking at a stripped-down version. One that gives you directions, but cuts out a lot of other important things like reviews or location images.

Google Maps seems to be treating this as an error, noting that Maps itself might be having issues, while there could be interference from your network or a browser extension. However, the app then suggests that signing in with Google Maps might fix the issue. That's... suspicious, if you ask me.

Because it makes it look as though Google is trying to push people to stay signed in to Google Maps all the time. Hopefully, this isn't the case, because it would be a huge mistake on Google's part.

What's happening, exactly?

The simple explanation is that some users are seeing a very stripped-down view of Google Maps — missing many key features that were previously available. We're not talking things like recent search history or saved places, both of which only work when tied to a specific user. We're talking about very general, but crucially important, bits of Google Maps data.

User reviews, photos and videos of locations, crowd-level graphs, related locations and so on. Maps refers to this as a "limited view of Google Maps", and when prompted for more information, suggests various issues that could be affecting things. Network issues, rogue browser extensions and general issues with Google Maps itself.

Of course, it also claims these issues can be fixed by logging in, and some Reddit users have confirmed they had no issues after doing so.

It is not clear why this is happening or whether it is due to a recent change in Google Maps or a glitch. I have contacted Google for more information and will update this story when I hear back.

Interestingly, I'm not seeing the Limited View message on Google Maps when I'm not logged in. But I am seeing considerably less information than I do compared to a browser window where I am.

When I look at the Natural History Museum in London while not logged in, I get the absolute bare minimum of information. A general overview, address details, contact information and opening times, to name a few. Plus some ads, because this is a Google product we're talking about.

Being logged in is a very different story. Not only can I buy tickets to the museum, with Google Maps redirecting me to various third-party ticketing sites, but I can also see a heck of a lot more about the museum. Full-length reviews, instead of a single 4.6-star rating, useful web results, user-submitted images, and so on.

None of these things actually requires a Google account to work, unlike the "Save" and "Send to phone" options, which are heavily reliant on a Google account. And yet, the latter two are visible regardless of whether you're logged in or not.

Being logged in also means the About tab features a lot more useful information about amenities, parking and what else is on offer when you're logged in. If you're not logged in, you get a summary of the premises and a list of accessibility features. While I'm not sure if that's a legal requirement here in the U.K., it does feel like the kind of thing that could land Google in trouble if it weren't easily available.

Deliberately cutting access to this information would be stupid

Some of it isn't exactly hidden from view. Compared to apps like Waze or Apple Maps, Google Maps can look cluttered and a lot uglier than it really needs to be. So I can see the appeal of having a cleaner Google Maps interface at times.

That being said, straight-up removing this information from users without Google accounts is not the way Google can fix this problem. In fact, doing this deliberately would be the equivalent of Google cutting off its proverbial nose to spite its face.

There are very good reasons why Google Maps is one of the most popular navigation apps. There's the legacy brand recognition, sure, but there's also the fact that it offers solid and versatile directions regardless of how you're trying to get around. Then there is, of course, the fact that Google Maps has so much information available to users.

Not only can you find places easily and quickly, but you can also see a rundown of all the important information without having to jump into a different app. Opening hours, menus, parking lot information, it's all there and freely available. The trade-off is that Google shows you various kinds of ads throughout the Maps app, and the more people use Google Maps, the more money it can make from advertising.

That gives Google an incentive to make Google Maps as appealing as possible. And you know what's not appealing? Cutting off vital information because someone is using your service without logging into a Google account.

We're still not clear on why this change has happened and if it's a deliberate move by Google. But it is the kind of thing giant tech conglomerates would do, given half the chance. Users being logged in means they have access to even more personal data, and with it they can find new ways to make money — primarily by trying to sell better and more personalized ads.

Honestly, you can't fault people for trying to opt out of that if they can. And until now, Google has seemed pretty content to let them use the Maps app without having to log in first. I can see why it might prefer users to be logged in, but people are fickle and don't like being made to do something they already decided not to do.

The best way to make them log into Google Maps with an account is to make it worth their while. That means adding new reasons to make it appealing, not ripping away what they already have. To just pull that away without warning is not only a pretty bogus move, but it's also likely to push people away and onto another service. Which should be the last thing Google wants.

There's still a lot we don't know

Reddit users noticed the switch a few days ago. With no real change in the time since or any official comment from Google, I'm leaning toward the idea that this change was deliberate rather than the result of a glitch. Though I could be wrong, and this could just be something Google hasn't quite got round to fixing yet.

While Google has been known to make a bunch of stupid mistakes in the past — just look at the ads situation on YouTube — I hope that it has more sense in this instance. There's very little benefit in crippling Google Maps for unregistered users, and while it may convince more people to stay logged into a Google Account, it's just as likely to drive people away. There are plenty of alternatives to Google Maps, after all.

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If you're watching Super Bowl 2026 today, you might want to know how to change the YouTube TV broadcast delay setting. YouTube TV is the best live TV streaming service we've tested, and it's incredibly popular. I even use it all the time for watching sports, including the NFL. So chances are, you're either planning or debating about using it to watch the Big Game this year.

However, if you're a sports fan, you probably know that one downside to watching sports on YouTube TV is that it can suffer from serious lag. I know I'm probably not the only one who's called their parents only to find out they're watching the same game as me ... and they're a minute ahead. According to Phenix, the average lag time while watching Super Bowl 2025 on YouTube TV was 67 seconds. That's over a minute behind the live action on the field.

The good news is that there is a way to reduce some of that lag time without ditching YouTube TV and opting to watch the Super Bowl 2026 with an antenna. In its user interface, YouTube TV has a broadcast delay setting that allows you to reduce your lag time while watching live sports.

There are two caveats: The setting is only adjustable while watching on a TV (no smartphones or tablets), and if you decrease your broadcast delay time, you increase your risk of playback issues. That said, with a strong internet connection, you should be fine. At least, based on my own personal testing, where I've had no issues.

So, without any further delay (because I hate delay), here's how to change your YouTube TV broadcast delay setting so you can watch Super Bowl 2026 with less lag.

Now that you've learned how to change your broadcast delay setting on YouTube TV, you might want to know more about how to watch Super Bowl LX.

Lucky for you, we've got you covered. Check out guides on how to watch Super Bowl 2026 on Roku, how to watch this year's Super Bowl on Fire TV, how to stream Super Bowl 2026 in 4K and how to use a sneaky trick to stream the Winter Olympics, Super Bowl and T20 World Cup for free this February.

Google Maps is one of the best navigation apps around. However, it can do more than just show you the quickest way to work, thanks to its Map Layers feature.

I used to only use the Map Layers option to change the look of the actual app, and as such, tended to ignore all the options at the bottom. However, these options, called Map Details, have a lot to offer.

There are seven different layers that you can use with the feature, including: Transit, Traffic, Biking, Street View, Air Quality, Wildfires, and Raised Buildings. Each one adds more details to the map. For example, the Map Detail Traffic option shows major roads with the current traffic, rather than you having to set a destination to see how bad traffic is only on your specific route.

Personally, I am a big fan of the Transit overlay, especially as I usually use Google Maps for public transport, and Waze when I am driving. These details show all the nearest train and bus stations more visibly than the basic map, which often forces you to zoom in to see certain stations. I also quite like the Biking option, which shows off some of the best cycling routes around you.

It’s not just routes that are included, as there is also the Air Quality option that can be a big help for those with breathing difficulties. Alternatively, you can select the Street View option, which shows you precisely which roads support the street view mode, which can be of help when looking to explore an address or location from a more realistic angle.

So, considering how helpful these options are, you might be wondering how to activate them? Well, look no further.

How to access Map Details

The world of navigation apps is an odd one, mainly because the two biggest competitors, Google Maps and Waze, are both owned by the same company. However, Waze is currently missing many of these Map details, and we would hope that Google adds at least the traffic option at some point soon.

In the meantime, let us know if you’ve been using Map Details at the moment, as well as any other hints and tricks you’ve found with Google Maps.

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If you walk or bike to work, Google just dropped some good news. Now, the company's AI-powered navigation assistant is expanding beyond the car.

Starting today, Gemini inside Google Maps will officially support walking and cycling, bringing a conversational, hands-free experience to pedestrians and bike commuters for the first time.

The feature — previously limited to driving — is live now worldwide on iOS wherever Gemini is available, with Android support rolling out over the coming month.

For anyone who has ever tried to text, search or check directions mid-stride (or worse, mid-ride), this update aims to remove the need to constantly tap your screen. Instead, you can simply talk.

What Gemini in navigation actually does

Essentially a conversational co-pilot, users can now navigate a route in Google Maps and ask natural-language questions without leaving the navigation view.

It works similarly to talking to a passenger sitting next to you — except that passenger can pull real-time map data, business listings and scheduling info instantly.

In other words, it's like a built-in tour guide. Pedestrian navigation is where the upgrade promises to feel the most transformative. Instead of stopping to type into a search bar, walkers can now ask questions like:

• “What neighborhood am I in?”
• “What are some must-see attractions nearby?”
• “Are there cafés with a bathroom along my route?”

Gemini pulls from Maps’ location data and nearby points of interest to provide contextual answers while you continue walking. It effectively turns Google Maps into a lightweight audio walking guide layered over turn-by-turn directions.

For cyclists: the upgrade means you know where you're going without letting go of the handlebars. This safety-focused twist is designed to reduce distractions by enabling common tasks through voice alone, such as:

• “What’s my ETA?”
• “When’s my next meeting?”
• “Text Sarah I’m 10 minutes behind.”

Instead of reaching into a pocket or tapping a mounted phone, riders can keep both hands on the bike while still interacting with their schedule or messages.

Why this matters

Voice navigation itself isn’t new — Google Maps has supported spoken directions for years. What’s different here is contextual conversation layered onto navigation, powered by Gemini’s language model rather than rigid voice commands.

In practical terms, that means:

• Less screen dependency while moving
• More natural phrasing instead of memorizing command syntax
• Context-aware answers based on your route and surroundings
• Productivity features integrated into travel rather than separate apps

For urban explorers, commuters and travelers, it shifts Google Maps from a passive directions tool into something closer to a real-time assistant embedded in your journey.

Availability and rollout

There’s no separate download required — the experience lives directly inside Google Maps navigation.

• iOS: Live now worldwide wherever Gemini is supported
• Android: Rolling out broadly over the next month
• Modes supported: Driving (existing), Walking (new) and Cycling (new)

Final thoughts

This expansion highlights Google’s broader push to weave AI assistants into everyday mobility rather than keeping them confined to standalone chat apps. Instead of opening an AI assistant and then switching back to Maps, the assistant now shows up exactly where decisions happen — while you’re on the move.

The iOS-first rollout also reflects the growing relationship between Apple and Google, as iPhone users become increasingly accustomed to using Gemini outside of traditional chat experiences.

For users, the takeaway here is that navigation is becoming far less complicated. Whether you’re exploring a new city on foot or commuting by bike, Google Maps promises to get you there with a simple conversation.

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Google isn't afraid to kill features, services or even entire product lines at the drop of a hat. But this week the tech giant restored a feature within Google Maps it had killed off back in 2024. Just in time to hit the slopes.

Following a backlash from skiers and snowboarders, Google has announced it will re-introduce ski runs into Google Maps. Allowing anyone planning a winter sports vacation to find ski trials, lifts and lodges just as they used to.

“We heard from many people who missed having ski information on Google Maps, so we’re bringing ski lifts and trails back this winter,” Google said in a statement shared with ski website POWDER.

The response from Google came after a petition on Change.org from skiing enthusiast Donát Sugataghy reached nearly 3,000 signatures.

"The removal of ski lifts from Google Maps is more than an inconvenience — it disrupts the daily lives of mountain dwellers and hampers tourism, a significant economic driver in mountainous regions around the globe," Sugataghy wrote.

"Let’s collectively urge Google to recognize the value of mountain transport infrastructure as equivalent to other transportation systems and reinstate it on Google Maps. This is not only a concern for ski lovers and hikers but also for the benefit of local residents and economies."

As well as bringing back the missing information, Google has gone further by adding satellite and aerial imagery. Google Maps also hosts information provided by ski resorts themselves, such as chairlift drop-off locations or the end of a run. This kind of information can be crucial for skiers or snowboarders planning their trip.

However, not every resort is currently supported. The likes of Whistler, Park City and Palisades are included but, according to POWDER, you won't find information for Red Mountain Resort in British Columbia or Hoodoo Ski Area in Oregon.

Why did Google remove it in the first place?

Google removed the option to look up ski lifts and trails in October 2024 citing a lack of use from users.

A product manager for Google Maps posted in a thread in the app's help page that: "We launched ski runs on Maps as an experiment years ago as part of our ongoing work to provide people with helpful information.

"Over time, we’ve found that most users don’t turn to Google Maps for this type of information, and that they instead prefer to use maps directly from the individual ski resorts, since they’re seen as the most authoritative source of this information."

If you're planning to hit the powder yourself in the next couple of months, here are the 5 accessories you might want to take with you.

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A new report indicates that Waze may be working on an addition that aims to offer more information regarding local traffic, and it’s one that Google Maps has had for a while now.

Despite being used entirely for driving, the Waze app doesn’t offer many of the same features seen on Google Maps, including showing traffic lights to users. That could soon change as, according to a report from the publication Geektime, Waze is currently testing the feature for drivers in Israel.

According to the report, when using the app to navigate, users can see up to three of the nearest traffic lights at a time. However, if you’re driving around without a specific destination, then the app will show you all the traffic lights that are near you. This distinction is stated in the report to be an attempt to avoid having the screen get too cluttered at any one time, especially when Waze’s social icons are activated.

It is important to note that the addition is stated to still be in very early beta, with many of the traffic lights in Israel not currently being marked. So we can’t be certain when it could roll out to other users, or what form it could take in the end. We hope it's sooner rather than later, as this is a feature that could be a major help when it comes to personalizing route preferences.

As Geektime speculates, you might be able to choose a route with fewer traffic lights. Or you could receive info based on the number of lights in front of you, such as "Turn right at the second traffic light." This addition could result in more accurate arrival times as well.

Waze vs Google Maps: the eternal competition

The first thing to note when it comes to Google Maps vs Waze is that Waze is purely focused on users with a car. So, if you’re planning to take public transportation, then you’re better off with Google’s other app.

We asked Tom’s Guide readers what the strengths of Waze are compared to Google Maps. One of the most praised aspects are the social features that make traffic reports feel more trustworthy. For example, there's a fairly new “Conversational Reporting” feature that upgrades the existing voice controls for incident reporting by integrating Google Gemini, letting you do it more naturally.

Other users praise Waze’s capability to learn your driving habits and the option to quickly pull up the upcoming direction sequence for your journey.

Of course, Google Maps is no slouch, especially after the addition of four massive new features back in November that integrate Gemini into the app as well as help to EV drivers. Meanwhile, Waze recently added an offline mode that helps you to keep on track when you’re out of signal areas.

From my point of view, I tend to think of Waze as the better driving tool, and this new addition for traffic lights only enhances that. Let us know in the comments what you think and which app you find yourself using more.

I recently compared Google Maps vs Waze for a long drive to see which mapping software I preferred when I'm behind the wheel of a car. But that's not all that frequent for me, as I live in London, a city where driving isn't ideal a lot of the time. Instead, I find myself on the London Underground — our version of the subway. What can mapping apps do for me when I'm on the Tube?

Not a lot in the case of Waze, which is entirely driving-focused. But other mapping options, including Apple Maps and Google Maps, promise to help me get from Point A to Point B even when public transit is involved.

With that in mind, combined with how often I’ve helped confused tourists trying to navigate the myriad of tunnels that make up London’s public transport system, I decided to test the two against each other. I’ve been using Apple Maps and Google Maps over the last week while I travelled across the city, making sure to check both buses and even bike rentals, to see which app offers the most up-to-date information, best journey plotting and good alternatives when something goes wrong along the way.

Google Maps vs Apple Maps public transit face-off: Set up

Starting a journey on either Apple or Google Maps is pretty simple for the most part. All you need to do is choose a location and the apps will then offer you the ideal route. However, the differences start to appear when you want to see alternate routes and options to travel.

There is one similarity to note: both navigation apps seem to avoid mentioning alternative modes of transit if the difference in time is too drastic. For instance, it takes around 40 minutes to get the train from my home to work. However, the bus will usually take around an hour and a half. That means I would never take a bus if I followed the apps' recommendations, but it also ignores other complications that can arise with the train — usually in the form of delays.

That said, it is possible to see the other options on Google Maps and Apple Maps, though the latter app is considerably more limited. Apple Maps has four initial options when choosing how to travel, including buses.

In contrast, Google Maps has a myriad of different choices, while also showing options for ride-share apps and bike rental locations with prices. Apple Maps will only show a bike route if you choose it, and even then, it’s only useful if you have your own bike.

Google Maps vs Apple Maps public transit face-off: Accuracy

Receiving up-to-date information on the status of trains and buses is critical when you’re using public transit. You'll want to know when the next service will arrive, so that you have a better idea of when to depart instead of waiting on a platform or at a bus stop for ages.

Both Google Maps and Apple Maps are as up-to-date as one could hope for, right down to predicted arrival times. Apple Maps actually goes one step further, since it also notes what time you’ll arrive at each station (assuming that there are no issues — it’s still the London Underground after all.)

On top of that, the route in Apple Maps also notes the other lines that come into each station, which makes life just a little easier if you need to transfer or take an alternate route.

In terms of accuracy, I think these two apps are about even. However, Apple Maps only gives up-to-date times for the next two trains, with subsequent ones listed as “scheduled.” Google Maps shows several different trains' expected arrival times in real time.

Google Maps vs Apple Maps public transit face-off: How the journey went

I used both apps numerous times over the last week, both on routes that I know well and others that I have less experience with. I also aimed to use train lines that I don’t usually take to really get the full experience. And I took alternative options when, and if, those became necessary.

Apple Maps proved to be much clearer when it came to certain station entrances and exits. If you’ve not experienced London train stations, they can be a bit confusing, as they often have more than one entrance. This can be annoying if you’re not sure of the right exit for your eventual destination. Apple has invested heavily in on-the-ground details, so the app usually details the exact exit you want and offers directions that better match the real world. Google Maps does offer some information on which exit to use, but it’s in small text and not really ideal.

Still, Google Maps topped Apple when it came to looking for detailed alternatives. Over the last weekend, I took a train into the city and, as is often the case, there was a problem that meant I needed to take a detour. That’s where the wealth of options presented in Google Maps came in handy — I could quickly find a new route with little issue. Apple Maps made me work a little harder to find the same option.

Google Maps vs Apple Maps public transit face-off: Verdict

Overall, both apps are perfectly serviceable at navigating public transit, so your choice may come down to which mapping app you prefer for general navigation. Kf you have one of the best iPhones, then I would recommend Apple Maps for taking public transport. This is especially true if you are visiting London as a tourist, as the station directions can be a real pain to figure out.

When it comes to public transit, there are so many factors that can have an impact on the journey. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps are great options, with their own strengths and weaknesses. However, I’d love to hear your preference, as well as your experience while trying to get around without a car, so let me know in the comments.

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Google Maps has a new parking tool that automatically detects where you parked your vehicle and saves that location, plus you can highlight your parking spot with a custom icon.

The feature was recently announced by Rio Akasaka, Senior Product Manager for Google Maps, on LinkedIn (spotted by 9to5Google). According to Akasaka, the new tool lets the navigation app know when you’ve parked, automatically saves that location, and then removes it when you start driving again.

Unfortunately, for Google Maps fans, this feature is only available on the best iPhones, and it’s not clear when or if an Android version will launch.

Saving your parking spot in Maps isn’t a new feature. You could already do so manually by tapping your location on the map and then hitting Saved Parking. The icon marking the spot stays for 48 hours or goes away when you start driving.

Android has a similar feature, but the icon will only go away if you remove it. This is the first time the tool has been automatic.

“To help you find where you left your car, Maps automatically saves your parking location. It stays saved for 48 hours unless you remove it or start driving,” a Google support page says.

You do need to be in your car and connected via USB, Bluetooth or CarPlay for the feature to work. “Once you're done driving, there's a little pin waiting for you when you open Google Maps next-- a personal parking Maps valet, just for you,” Akasaka says.

According to Aksaka, the automatic parking spot saving started rolling out a month ago. The new feature, coupled with the tool, are Google’s new custom car icons, which can be used to customize how you mark your parking spot. Previously, the icon was just a “P”.

Some of the options at launch include a colorful array of vehicles from a purple sedan to a red 4x4 truck. Google has had custom car icons in Maps since at least 2020, and earlier this year, eight new car shapes and colorways were added. That update also extended the feature to Android Auto and CarPlay.

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Google Maps is rolling out four new features that are meant to save time and find activities over the coming holiday season and more. They include Gemini integration, an EV charger locator, trending activities and helpful review tools for your favorite businesses.

Some of these features are rolling out now for Android and iOS devices globally, while others are specific to the United States or Android Auto only. Additionally, this is a gradual rollout, meaning that you might not have access immediately. Give it a day or two to see if these new features have become available and if not, you can always try updating the app. Here’s what each of those Google Maps features do and where they’ll be available.

Integrated Gemini

Using Gemini, Maps will help you research places like restaurants, hotels and concert venues but there will also be new “know before you go” tips. Gemini enables the navigation app to use reviews and other relevant information online to provide you with insights, like secret menu items, parking suggestions and more. Tapping the tips brings up even more information.

Gemini’s insider tips are rolling out now for Android and iOS but only in the U.S at the moment.

Updated Explorer tab

The Explorer tab in Maps has also been updated to “help you find your next move.” You can swipe up to see trending and popular activities along with restaurants and sights that are nearby.

It’s meant to give you quick last-minute inspiration for places to go while you’re out and about. The updated tab will also provide curated lists from sites like Lonely Planet, OpenTable, and Viator, alongside local influencer picks to help you discover new spots.

This feature is rolling out “this month” globally for Android and iOS devices.

EV charger update

Google Maps has had an EV charger locator tool since 2022 and last year, it got an upgrade to help electric vehicle drivers find out-of-the-way chargers. This new update goes even further though.

Now Maps will tell you how many chargers are “likely to be available upon your arrival” when you search “EV chargers” in Maps. Like the hidden chargers tool from last year, this new update utilizes AI to analyze historical and real-time charger availability to predict how many chargers will be free. Think of it like how Maps can tell you how busy a particular restaurant will be at any given time of day.

The EV charger predictor rolls out “next week” for Android Auto and cars with Google built-in. However, Google did not specify exactly when it will arrive. It appears this feature will also see a global rollout though.

Holiday reviews for local businesses

Google is finally adding some “holiday cheer” to reviews. You can be anonymous by choosing a profile picture and profile name with holiday-based titles like “Eager Elf” but if you use one of the nicknames, the review will still be tied to your Google account.

This seems ripe for Grinches, but Google claims that the company’s built-in AI-based protections will “monitor for suspicious and fake reviews.” According to the search giant, its system halts both fake reviews purchased by businesses and scam profiles based on “abuse patterns.”

This anonymous review system is rolling out globally for Android, iOS and desktop devices this month.

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Apple Maps and Google Maps have a lot in common, including AR modes to help users who want a more dynamic way of getting around than just staring at an arrow on a flat screen. But whose mode is better?

To test them out, I took a walk to a local Tube station and back, using Google Maps Live View on one leg of the journey, and Apple Maps Guide Me on the other. It wasn't exactly a difficult trip, but it showed me some key differences between these two apps — and allowed me to pick a favorite.

Read on for my impressions of Apple Maps Guide Me vs. Google Maps Live View.

Getting started

Opening up Live View or Guide Me is simple enough on both apps. There's a button both prior to commencing navigation and when you're in the regular en-route view that you can press to enter AR mode.

There is also a third method - simply lifting the phone to a vertical position. Apple tells you about this option, whereas Google does not. This may be a first-time user thing, as I have definitely used Live View before, and not Guide Me, but I appreciate the heads-up from Apple in this case.

Both apps will drop you back to the regular map view if you lower your phone to a horizontal position again. This seemed especially sensitive in Google Maps' case, giving you very little leeway if you need to drop your arm to get past a group of people, for example.

Apple Maps Guide Me vs Google Maps Live View: Directions

With the apps open, it's time to get moving. As the GIF above shows, any time you move past the virtual location of an arrow, Google Maps Live View will pop up another one. It means if you glance away for a moment, it won't take long to reorient yourself.

However, the rapid refreshing can lead to some weird effects. For instance, I ended up with an arrow at one point on my walk that seemed to direct me down a flight of stairs, simply because I'd faced that direction as the refresh order came in.

This would hopefully only cause momentary confusion, but anyone in a rush or under stress would not appreciate this kind of accidental misleading.

Apple Maps does not update its AR arrows anywhere near as frequently. Instead, it keeps you on track with pop-up prompts to point your phone back to the currently active arrow.

What's more confusing is the fact that Apple Maps places these arrows along roadways rather than the sidewalk. It means you're constantly having to look to the side if you want to double-check the name of the road or the direction you need to continue in.

Apple Maps Guide Me vs Google Maps Live View: Detail

I like how much more detail Apple Maps gives you when in Guide Me mode. In addition to the distance to the next change of direction, and the kind of turn you need to make, Apple Maps gives you more explicit written instructions, along with a rough diagram of how you'll move over or along the path or road. Apple Maps also displays the next direction in some instances to let you prepare as needed.

Meanwhile, Google Maps gives you distance, direction and a road name. That's it.

However, Apple's more static direction style can sometimes interfere with its otherwise generous amount of detail. The example above shows how approaching a direction ends up obscuring the start and end of the street name, which feels like sloppy design to me.

Apple Maps Guide Me vs Google Maps Live View: Safety

Both of these apps are smart enough to give you warnings about using their respective AR modes. Staring at your phone can lead to unfortunate accidents at the best of times, let alone when you're trying to navigate sidewalks full of people and roads full of vehicles.

Each time you come to a road crossing while navigating with Google Maps Live View, it pops up an overlay reminding you to check the road before you walk any further. This was sometimes a bit inaccurate, popping up well before an intersection or where there was no sign of one at all, but I'll forgive this in the name of being better safe than sorry.

Apple Maps Guide Me has a similar overlay about not checking directions while on the move. This only popped up three times during my walk, less than half of the number of interruptions that Google Maps made, and also without any clear trigger.

Apple Maps Guide Me vs Google Maps Live View: Destination marker

Google Maps produces this fun animated pin to show you've arrived. It felt just as excited as I was to have made my way to Edgware Road, a rather handsome 20th-century London Underground station.

Meanwhile, Apple Maps has a static red icon, one that's also a little low-res when you're close to the destination.

It's nowhere near as dynamic as the Google one, but given you're likely about to close the app to head into your destination anyway, maybe Apple's being smart by not putting in wasted effort.

Apple Maps Guide Me vs Google Maps Live View: Verdict

Perhaps it's due to my greater familiarity with Google Maps, but I do think that Live View is the better AR navigation mode, on balance. Still, I believe that Apple Maps Guide Me is a) pretty close in quality and b) has a few tricks that Google would be smart to implement.

Guide Me's more detailed written instructions and directional arrows give extra reassurance that you won't get lost, which I would certainly appreciate if I was walking around an area I was unfamiliar with. But Google's more rapid direction updates, with arrows that remain on the sidewalk rather than sit in the street, feel more useful to someone trying to get around than knowing the next instruction ahead of time. Plus its intersection warnings could be literal lifesavers for preoccupied walkers.

Apple isn't Google Maps' only rival. Waze is an ever-present threat for anyone trying to navigate in a car, and may even do the job better than Google. Plus there are several other Google Maps and Apple Maps alternatives should you find neither work for you. But when it comes to AR directions, Google Maps is the winner for me.

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Google recently released its November Pixel Drop update, which includes several new features for Pixel phones and some Android devices. One of the more interesting updates is so good that I might have to switch from an iPhone to a Pixel 10 just to use it.

The new Power-saving mode is meant to help save battery life by reducing the amount of visible features in the navigation map. This is partly done by making the app monochrome in a black-and-white scheme.

This new power-saving mode was discovered around Halloween in Google beta code, but it wasn't clear how close it was to launch. Now it has, but unfortunately the battery-saving feature is only available for Pixel 10 phones at the moment.

Based on the previously discovered code and what we've seen in the Pixel Drop, there doesn't seem to be an obvious technical reason Google can't make this power-saving mode available on older Pixels or other Android devices. It's possible Google is using the Pixel 10 series as a live test.

How Power Saving Mode works in Google Maps

Power saving mode reduces the amount of visible information in Google Maps. The most obvious alteration is the monochrome view.

In the updated view, you'll only see key information like the next turns and the path you need to follow. However, street names and icons are omitted. You will still have access to directions.

When using Maps, you can access power-saving mode by pressing the power button.

Earlier leaks suggested that the mode would only show users instructions based on cardinal directions like "head south" or "head north," which didn't seem terribly useful if you don't know the area. However, based on images provided by Google, it does look like even in power-saving mode Google Maps will display the next direction and the street you need to turn on next.

Questions remain

As I mentioned earlier, at time of publication the power-saving mode in Google Maps is only available on the Google Pixel 10. It's one of the few features from the November Pixel Drop that is only available on the newest Google phone, and it's not clear when or if the feature will come to other devices.

Additionally, it’s not clear from Google’s press release if the feature will support voice navigation or public transit directions. It's also not known if you can customize the monochrome color palette, or if you're limited to black and white.

Tom’s Guide has reached out to Google for clarification and we'll update this story with any meaningful new information!

Maybe its time to try a Pixel phone

With power-saving mode limited to only Pixel 10 phones including the Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, it may be time to try out a Google-made phone. Here's where you can pick up one today.

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If there’s one app I use daily that’s proven to be invaluable, it has to be Google Maps. I’ve already explained how I prefer it when I drove over 1,000 miles to put Google Maps vs Apple Maps to the test, along with my favorite 5 features that make my commute easier.

Just recently, however, I discovered a feature I haven’t come across before by accident. It’s Google Maps Immersive View, which makes my route planning in the city better. After trying it out for a week, it’s the first thing I load up in Google Maps whenever I’m going to a new destination in and around New York City.

There are still other features I think that have more value, but Google Maps Immersive View makes me excited for the future of smart glasses like the Meta Ray-Ban Display and Rokid Glasses. Here’s why Immersive View is one of my favorite Google Maps features.

It combines Street and Live view

I accidentally discovered Immersive View when I punched in the address of a venue I was attending later on in the day, and noticed a peculiar preview button in the app I haven’t seen before. When I tapped on it, the view went from the default 2D map to a 3D overview of the city and eventually to the street view of my destination.

Immersive View basically combines Street and Live view together, with an animation of the route complete with details like landmarks I should look out for. The best description I have of Immersive View is like putting on a VR headset and seeing the actual route happening in real time.

When you look up an address and view it in Street View, you can only move around by tapping the corresponding arrows. It’s not as intuitive to use as Immersive View. Live View is like an augmented reality view that overlaps directional arrows over my camera’s view — so Immersive View simply combines them into one.

Aerial mode gives me that bird’s eye view

The effectiveness of Immersive View is partly also due to the aerial mode I can activate, which is indicated by the icon of a superhero figure on the right side of the app. This gives me an animated aerial view of the directions, showing me New York City and some of its notable landmarks.

Since I end up needing to catch the subway down by 33rd street each day, I like how aerial mode accurately pinpoints the subway’s entrance in the app. I tried this out on one event I needed to attend in the evening, which considering I’ve never visited the area before, I think it’s incredibly helpful to know exactly what the location looks like before actually getting there.

Google adds to the impressiveness of the view by adding small details in aerial view, like 3D models of cars going down the street and even birds in the sky.

Great at exploring new locations, but there’s a catch

I’m surprised by how this view has helped me get to new places around the city and I can certainly see the benefit of it when I’m vacationing elsewhere. That’s because of how it teleports me to the location without actually being there. Like I said earlier, Immersive View feels like I’m in a virtual world where I can see everything around me in real time.

While it’s become something I’ve leaned on using for the past couple of weeks, I thought I could try it out on the weekend heading to a new place by the beaches down by where I lived. I was shocked to find out it didn’t work. That’s because Google Maps Immersive View is supported in select major cities. They include Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin, Florence, Las Vegas, London, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paris, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Tokyo, and Venice.

But despite the limited support, Google also offers Immersive View with Android XR. Meaning, you can get an even more immersive experience using headsets like the Samsung Galaxy XR.

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Google Maps, one of the best navigation apps, could be getting a new power-saving mode for navigation that is extremely minimalist, with the goal of conserving battery. The potential battery saver was found in the 25.44.03.824313610 beta release by Android Authority as part of their APK breakdowns.

As a reminder, APK teardowns can find code that hints at a software feature. However, that doesn't mean the tool won't change between now and release or launch at all.

According to Android Authority, the latest beta release contains a few strings of code with some portions labeled "Power saving mode." According to the code, this mode can be activated by pressing the power button while the vehicle is in motion.

Apparently, this mode is separate from your phone's normal battery saver mode.

Once launched, it will only display key information, such as the next direction, and remove much of the standard Google Maps UI. It also appears that the Maps app loses all its color in favor of a more monochromatic black look.

Based on the images shared by AA, the directions are perhaps a bit too sparse, considering that they don't indicate the name of the next street you need to turn onto. That is likely, and hopefully, something that will be changed before an official release.

Power saving mode should support walking, driving, and biking directions so far. It's unclear whether public transit directions will be supported.

It's also unknown whether voice navigation will be available, but if it's built for power saving, it may be turned off by default.

There is one clear limitation so far: power saving mode is currently limited to portrait mode, and landscape mode is unavailable.

Again, this appears to be a work in progress, so Google could change things. Hopefully, this will be one that launches soon or receives more details in future Maps updates.

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When it comes to Google Maps vs Waze, I've made it pretty clear that I prefer the former. But never let it be said that I can't change my mind, so I recently decided to give Waze a second chance.

Recently, I had to drive to Manchester for a wedding, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try Waze without having to compare it to another app. That approach removes any prior assumptions so that Waze could stand on its own merits.

When it comes to map apps, we want an easy-to-understand UI, clear directions and a route that gets us to our destination quickly. Manchester is around 200 miles from my home, but the route is relatively simple in concept. However, if you've ever been on a British motorway, you'll know it's never that simple.

So, how did Waze do?

The routes were easy to follow

I wanted to see how Waze managed two very different journeys, one that was simpler and another that was more complex. The drive to Manchester was simpler, as I elected to use a toll road, while the return took a more circuitous route.

When it comes to finding a decent route, Waze is no slouch; like Google Maps, it offers you a host of different options. Waze will also try to recommend shorter routes as you go and warn you of any upcoming complications prudently, which is always helpful.

For part of my return leg, I wound up losing network connectivity. Fortunately, Waze recently introduced an offline feature that works like a dream, helpingme to keep on track. That said, I did lose the updates from other drivers, which was a bit of a pain.

Waze's actual directions were fine, although there were some complications. First, Waze missed one of the turns as it was right after a roundabout. While it was tight, I was surprised I wasn't told to be in a certain lane.

Speaking of roundabouts, Waze has a terrible symbol for them. The app will show a circle with the number of your exit and nothing else. It's not the clearest thing in the world, but on the plus side, the app is much more obvious when you get closer.

Waze's social aspects grew on me

One of the biggest issues I've had with the Waze app has been the social side of it — namely being able to see other people's avatars (called Wazersicons) driving around. When I've brought this up before, a lot of people told me that they liked this feature, as it made them feel as though traffic updates and threats were more up-to-date and trustworthy.

It is worth noting that Waze relies on people actually reporting. Waze is aware of this and has been working to make reporting safer through AI, but I saw reports of stopped cars or police that just weren’t there. As such, I wouldn't always take Waze's alerts as gospel. Admittedly, this could be because there just aren’t as many Waze users in the UK, meaning fewer overall updates.

However, I did eventually find myself checking to see what other drivers were doing, especially when it came to traffic. Often, when stuck in a really bad jam, you don't know when the cars will start moving. However, I could use the app as a form of warning by seeing if the Wazer icons ahead of me were moving.

That said, I think the Waze interface is still a bit cluttered at times, although it was fun trying to guess which car was which icon. You can turn a lot of these features off, which is a nice touch.

More on Waze's interface

While Waze's UI can be a bit cluttered, there are some additions that I really do like. One of the best is the progress bar that appears on the left-hand side of the screen. As the name would suggest, this bar shows your progress through a traffic jam or other section of road with delays. It’s handy, especially compared to Google Maps, which offers more limited information.

On the other hand, Waze's Apple Music toggle is terrible. When you click the icon, the drop-down takes up about half of the screen. My iPhone 15 Pro Max has a 6.7-inch display, and even that extra screen space doesn't help. On the plus side, my iPhone's Dynamic Island cuts down on this issue a fair amount, so I don't have to keep the toggle open.

Also, in my original Waze vs. Google Maps assessment, I noted that I wouldn’t trust the Waze's in-app speedometer. However, readers informed me, repeatedly, that it was more accurate than I thought. With that in mind, I decided to run a separate test to see if this was true.

When it comes to going at slower speeds, then yes, the app's speedometer matched what my car's speedometer showed. However, at higher speeds, my car's speedometer was ahead by a noticeable amount.

I couldn’t say which was more accurate, but I decided to follow the app for a bit, so if I suddenly get a bunch of tickets, then we will know for certain.

Is Waze the perfect map app?

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I use Google Maps a lot, even when I don't actually need it. There's so much on offer in Google's navigation app, and so far I haven't been able to find an alternative that doesn't infuriate me when out on the road. But Google Maps is far from perfect, and as good as it is on the road, I've found it's absolutely useless off it.

I have two Labradors who need a lot of exercise and love to explore new areas. So I tend to do a lot of hiking and rambling through the nearby countryside to tire them out. Finding new footpaths and trails with Google Maps is a pretty miserable experience, because it has next to no information about them. So I've found a useful (and free) alternative in the form of Open Street Map.

Google Maps needs more hiking trails

The first thing I should mention is that I know Apple Maps launched its own hiking features last year, alongside iOS 18. But I'm primarily an Android user, and switching to an iPhone just to go hiking would be a huge pain in my proverbial neck. Unfortunately, that is one feature Google Maps doesn't have, and hasn't yet copied, which is finding new trails quite difficult.

Admittedly, I have spent a great deal of my time just following paths in the woods to see where they go. There are plenty of them, and as the winter months draw closer, they're a lot easier to spot and walk through. Considering I live in a country that lacks any large predators or particularly extreme weather, there's very little to lose by wandering around and seeing where you end up.

The most dangerous thing around, aside from the occasional gang of loud teenagers, is probably the wild blackberry bushes. Those barbs may not be lethal, but they are quite painful.

Still wandering down those random paths has led me to a dead end more times than I can count, and it's very frustrating to have to turn back and figure out where I went wrong. I've found it's always a good idea to have a rough indication of where to go, even if your map isn't quite accurate.

Since Google Maps can't help me with this, I've found OpenStreetMap to be a fairly useful alternative. Imperfect, but good enough.

OpenStreetMap is detailed, and free

I live in the U.K., and anyone who's ever gone on any kind of excursion into the country knows there's one map company that's a cut above the rest: Ordnance Survey. They are easily the most detailed and high-quality maps of the British Isles you can find, but there's a process to go through to get those maps on your phone.

There is a free version, but you have to go through the process of signing up, learning how everything works, and being pestered to subscribe to the more feature-rich premium version. Honestly, it's a process I can do without, and it's why I like OpenStreetMap so much. Along with the fact that it has maps for the entire planet, not just the U.K.

It is probably the closest thing we have to a Wikipedia for maps. It's open source, free to use, and built on user and community knowledge. Better still, the free use aspect means developers have been able to use their mapping data in their own navigation apps. So while OpenStreetMap itself may have a very boring map company interface, various apps have adapted it to be more familiar to the legions of Google Maps users around the world.

Personally, I've been a fan of OsmAnd (available on Android and iOS), which stores all its maps offline. It is not the kind of app I'd use when navigating by car, but it retains enough useful features to help me walk around the nearby countryside without issue. Aided by the fact that it has all the same off-road routes and trails as OpenStreetMap. It does still ask you to pay money, though, but at least it doesn't bombard you with ads if you don't.

And I've never had an issue with the walking trails the OpenStreetMap data has offered up. Aside from the time I mistook a power line for a public footpath, and got accosted by the manager of my local golf course. I won't be making that mistake again.

Bottom line

Maybe there are better ways for me to uncover new walking trails, without walking into a bunch of plants hell-bent on stabbing me. There really is no shortage of options if you need hiking apps, especially if you're over in the U.S. rather than the U.K. But your classic navigation apps aren't really among them, and that needs to change. Especially for Google, since Apple already jumped on this particular bandwagon last year.

But hey, you don't necessarily need to pay or relearn your map-reading skill to find places to walk — especially if you're just a casual walker like me. There's always OpenStreetMap to show where you need to go, and whether that trail you're on is actually going to get you where you need to go.

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While the majority of people will likely switch on their default navigation app, there's no shortage of other options out there for you to use. Just because your phone comes with Google Maps or Apple Maps doesn't necessarily mean you're beholden to them.

If you find yourself dissatisfied with what Google and Apple are offering, but aren't sure what other options are available, we have you covered. With a specific emphasis on driving and turn-by-turn navigation, we've hunted down some of the best Google Maps and Apple Maps alternatives available for you to download onto your phone. Some of which you may have heard of, and others that might surprise you.

Waze

You can't talk about alternative navigation apps without talking about Waze. While the app is owned and operated by Google, it remains distinct from Google Maps on account of its unique navigational style. Rather than sticking you onto a route and only warning you if traffic gets particularly bad, the focus is on making sure you get to your destination as quickly as possible. So if Waze can shave a few seconds off your ETA by sending you down a strange, winding route, you can be sure it will.

The main caveat with Waze is that it primarily runs on crowdsourced user data. This can be beneficial, and makes the app a lot faster to update than Google Maps, but it also means the available information is wholly dependent on other people submitting it.

Download: Waze for Android and iOS

TomTom

Arguably the king of GPS navigation in the days before smartphones, TomTom was quick to adapt with the times and launched its first mobile app quite early on. It may not be as popular as Google and Apple, but it still offers many of the same features. Not only are maps updated regularly, TomTom also has its own source of real-time traffic data that automatically adjusts your route to help avoid the worst of the congestion.

Other features include lane and intersection guidance, speed camera alerts, crowd-sourced hazard reports, and maps of everywhere you might want to go. It even has EV routing that is tailored to whatever model of electric car you have — helping you navigate without being stranded miles away from a charger. Oh, and it's completely free with no advertising or distractions. There isn't much more you can ask for.

Download: TomTom for Android and iOS

HERE WeGo

A name that will no doubt be familiar to anyone who used a Windows Phone or certain standalone GPS navigation devices. HERE WeGo has many of the same features that help it compete with the likes of Google and Apple Maps. Not only can it help you navigate from A to B, it also features offline support for over 200 countries, real-time traffic data, public transport support, and a database of various points of interest.

On top of that, the maps are pretty high quality, with a cleaner interface than you might expect from the likes of Google — which are very heavy on information overload. Plus, HERE WeGo will delete navigational timestamps when your journey is over, offering that little bit of extra privacy that you normally only see in Apple Maps. HERE WeGo is also free, but it does use personalized advertising.

Download: HERE WeGo for Android and iOS

MapQuest

MapQuest is still around, believe it or not, but it is only available for navigating in the U.S. and Canada, which is useless if you live in Europe or plan on leaving North America for your next vacation. But there's still a lot on offer with the turn-by-turn navigation. MapQuest offers real-time traffic information, a GPS-powered speedometer, and various planning tools to help you find the best possible route — and stops along the way.

You can tell MapQuest takes a lot of inspiration from Google and Apple. Not only does it help you find points of interest, it also syncs up with third party platforms to help you search for hotels, reserve tables, order food delivery and more. It even lets you compare the cost of gas prices in your area, and hooks you up with on-demand roadside assistance should you ever need it.

Download: MapQuest for Android and iOS

Maps.Me

Built on data from OpenStreetMap, the benefit to using Maps.Me is that you can continue to navigate if your phone suddenly goes offline. Which is especially beneficial if you're driving somewhere with a spotty cell signal.

Also included are travel guides, detailed maps of hiking trails and other points of interest, and continual updates from OpenStreetMap's community of contributors. Plus, the maps themselves have been made to be as clean and clutter-free as they can be — which is more than we can say for some other services.

Download: Maps.Me for Android and iOS

Sygic

Sygic was actually one of the first mobile navigation apps to hit the scene, which means they've got decades of experience to draw from. The main point of Sygic is the turn-by-turn GPS navigation, which includes live updates for both traffic and speed cameras/traps. But one of the great things here is that Sygic stores all of its maps for offline use, updating once a month for extra precision.

There's so many more features in here, too. Sygic offers support for heads-up displays and augmented reality, a built-in dash cam, sign recognition, local fuel prices and information about parking spots — with live updates on pricing and availability. Oh, and there's lane guidance, which is a feature I could never live without.

Download: Sygic for Android and iOS

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One of the great things about Google Maps is that you're not beholden to the directions you've set up. If you want to make a quick stop somewhere for lunch, gas, or something else entirely, you can do that — and have the app help you figure out where you need to go. But things might be changing for the worse.

Android Authority has uncovered the change in an updated version of the Google Maps Android app. Rather than showing potential stops on the map itself, Google Maps will instead be showing them as a list that pulls up from the bottom of the screen. Needless to say, I am not very happy about that change.

Part of the benefit of being able to add stops mid-drive is that you can see exactly where all your possibilities are on the map. Which means you can see exactly where they are, and use your own judgement on how much of a hassle it'll be to get there. Google also shows you a star rating and how many minutes it thinks will be added to your drive for each location.

The new list format looks very much like a cut-down version of your search results. You get all the same information as the map interface, plus an estimated price range and the ability to call the place.

But it's not quite the same, is it? There's a difference between seeing an estimated detour time and actually being able to visualize its location in your head.

Admittedly, the extra filters could be rather useful. Rather than simply looking for stops near your current location, Google Maps will let you sort between three options: Near you, halfway through the trip, and when you're closing in on your destination.

These filters also seem to be coming to Google Maps on Android Auto as well, so you have the option to use them while driving. I would hope that they work with Gemini voice commands for better ease of use, but there's no confirmation of that just yet.

The good news for people like me is that the changes haven't gone live yet — to the point where some of the buttons apparently don't work. That means it is still a work in progress, and should give Google Maps' developers time to tweak how the new Add Stop system works. Hopefully, that also means that the map interface won't be taken away from us.

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If there's one thing that we love about Google Maps, it's that it is constantly looking to improve. One such apparent addition might not look like much, but it could be a real timesaver while out and about.

The change in question was first shared in a screenshot sent to Android Authority via Discord user winner00. The image features the Google Maps UI, but with the addition of a travel time on the Home chip that sits under the search bar. Not only that, it appears that the time on the chip is color-coded similarly to the navigation time, meaning it could take into account delays present on your journey.

At a glance, I can see how useful such a feature would be, as it would make it easier to plot out your plans at a glance, without needing to constantly set the navigation. It would help to save time, plus it's much less disruptive if you're, say, out with friends and just want to check how long to get home.

I would hope that, as part of this feature, we will be able to set what travel time appears with the Home chip. For instance, will I be able to set it to show the time when using public transport, or while walking? For many people, only seeing the estimated travel time for driving will just be more noise on the app that they won't notice.

Unfortunately, we don't know what version of Google Maps, or which device, the screenshot was taken from. So we can't definitively say that this will be a change coming soon. Android Authority reportedly didn't see the feature on its devices, while I didn't see it on either my iPhone 15 Pro Max or Galaxy Z Fold 5.

Google Maps has seen some other impressive changes recently

While we might not see our home journey estimates any time soon, Google Maps has seen plenty of updates in recent months.

One good example is the “Your recent places” section. This new addition reportedly aims to make it easier to find locations that you have visited or searched in the past, as well as offering new ways to organize them.

On top of that change, we also saw Google Maps get a small visual update on Android devices thanks to Android 16’s Material Expressive 3. While the actual maps don’t look all that different, it’s much more noticeable when you open up the carousel. Unlike with the other versions of the app, the Material 3 Expressive version has the key features, like Direction, Start and Ask(Gemini) pinned to the bottom of the menu.

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As someone who only passed my driver's test in 2009, long after the proliferation of GPS navigation, I do wonder how people managed to drive to any unfamiliar destination in the not-so-distant past — or at least, not without going everywhere accompanied by a passenger who was competent at reading a paper map.

Turn-by-turn navigation has grown to be so invaluable that it's hard to imagine life without it. In fact, it's rare that I leave home without Google Maps up on my car's screen. That's not necessarily because I don't know where I'm going, but rather, because there are plenty of benefits to using Google Maps (or Apple Maps and Waze if you prefer) than simply figuring out which direction you need to be heading.

Here's what an app like Google Maps can do for you, even if you know how to get from Point A to Point B.

Avoiding the worst traffic

I can't remember the last time I actually listened to the radio in my car, let alone the local stations, so the idea of listening to traffic alerts is pretty foreign to me. Not that they were always that useful to begin with — there is only so much time radio stations can devote to that, which is not nearly enough to cover every minor piece of congestion.

Mapping apps don't have that issue. Not only are they monitoring users for any sign of traffic or issues on the road, they're able to pass on that information to others right away. I can't tell you how many times I've been driving around, only to be alerted by my phone that the route I'm following isn't the best one.

I could save time and possibly even distance by changing course just a little bit, and I wouldn't know that without Google Maps up and running.

Admittedly, Google Maps may not be the best option for this, at least not on shorter trips. Waze has that reputation for taking every available option to get you to your destination as fast as possible, even if it means going some weird route off the usual beaten path. (This Waze vs. Google Maps field test goes into greater details on the apps' relative strengths and weaknesses.)

That sais, I often find blindly following those suggested detours can land me in trouble. If I'm not careful, I have known Waze to send me down bus-only roads — and the last thing I need is a ticket because I shaved 30 seconds off my trip.

Knowing when I'm going to get there

While seeing traffic while you're driving is one thing, the ability to know roughly when you're going to arrive at your destination is arguably more important. Whether you're planning ahead of time when you should leave or want to let the people waiting on the other end of your journey when to expect you, an estimated time of arrival can be invaluable. And it's right there in Google Maps.

One of the things I appreciate about Google Maps is that the ETA actually changes color, using the same colors as traffic lights, mdepending on the severity of traffic along your route. For that reason, I can see at a glance just how bad the traffic is on any particular drive and adjust my expectations for the trip accordingly.

Better still, being able to see that there's traffic before I leave means I may be able to figure out a better route. So long as I know the area well enough, there are combinations of roadways that Google might not think to send me down — essentially prompting me to channel my inner Waze.

Even if it doesn't get me there faster, the ability to keep moving instead of sitting in gridlock is going make driving a heck of a lot less frustrating.

Actually knowing which lanes to use

One of the things I can struggle with, even if I know where I'm going, is making sure I'm in the correct lane to actually make the correct turn or merge. I doubt I'm the only one who thinks the people in charge of planning and building roads are some of the biggest idiots on the planet — even by local government standards.

My local area has some of the most bizarre road layouts I've had the misfortune of driving on, and I know for a fact that they're fairly tame in comparison to other parts of the U.K. It's almost like the Highways Agency had a quota of roundabouts they needed to build, and decided to mash them altogether with the worst possible signage about which lanes actually go where.

Thankfully, all three big navigation apps offer lane assist features, which tell you exactly where you need to be. Highway splitting off into two different roads? You'll know what lanes won't send you 20 miles off course. Awkward series of roundabouts coming up? No need to eyeball if, or rely on inadequate signage —Google, Apple and Waze will tell you where you need to be.

I'll admit, I don't always pay attention to the Lane Guidance feature when I'm driving. The downside of having Google Maps navigation switched on when you don't need it is that you instinctively tune it out when you think you know where you're going.

Still, that feature has saved my skin plenty of times when I'm heading up to some kind of junction and there are more lanes than my brain really knows how to process. And that wouldn't happen without having Maps open, pretty much all the time.

Road hazards and speed traps

There's one thing none of us needs when we're driving around, and that's having to contend with the police and any other potential hazards that exist on public roads. And I don't mean Sting's band, though I'm not exactly a fan of them, either.

The ability to get Hazard Alerts was typically more in Waze's wheelhouse, but recently it's become more widespread. Even a simple trip to the dentist has Google Maps warning me about possible construction and police activity on the road ahead. This is very useful information to have for a variety of reasons.

I generally don't commit crimes while I'm driving, aside from some casual speeding when it's safe to do so. But knowing that there may be a patrol car hiding in wait a mile ahead means I can make sure I don't seem particularly suspicious. Flying casual, as Han Solo might put it.

Likewise, being alerted to other hazards means I could potentially be more proactive about which route I take. Just a couple of weeks ago, one of the roads near me ended up being closed off by police as they dealt with someone in crisis. Getting an alert about that ahead of time could have been the difference between sitting in standstill traffic until the situation was resolved and being able to find a route home.

Without navigation switched on, I wouldn't have any clue as to what was potentially happening on the road ahead.

Bottom line

Could I manage driving without Google Maps? If I'm staying close to home, then I can definitely handle it without many issues. Should I try to go much further afield, traveling without the help of Google Maps would all depend on how much planning time I have, since you can't just drop me off in the middle of nowhere and expect me to magically know where I'm going.

But just because I can do something doesn't mean I will. Google Maps (or the navigation app of your choice) is freely available and gives you a bunch of extra advantages even if you already know where you're going. Better still, Google Maps has been designed and optimized to avoid eating through too much of your data allowance.

So with that in mind, the question isn't why would I drive around with Google Maps on all the time — rather, it's why wouldn't I?

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When your one way commute to work is over 40 miles, you need reliable directions that get you to/from with as little hassle as possible. That’s why I often go crawling back to Google Maps, even after I’ve put it to the test against Wave — or exploring what advantages Apple Maps might offer over it.

I do a lot of driving every week testing many of the best electric cars around, frequently relying on Google Maps for all driving navigation. But I also remember how it’s evolved since the early days when it upended the industry in 2009 by offering free turn-by-turn driving directions.

However, Google is constantly coming out with new features, which is tough for the average driver to remember. That’s why I want to share my favorite Google Maps features that make my driving experience better. Not only is my commute to work easier, but these five features inadvertently make me a better driver.

Report an incident on the road

Out of all the Google Maps features I use, reporting incidents on the road has become one thing I constantly do while I’m driving. It’s a relatively new feature that lets you report incidents on your route, like accidents, inclement weather conditions, lane closures, and much more. And yes, there’s also the option to report police or speed traps — so you know exactly where they’re at.

While this might be intended to give speeders the upper hand in avoiding potential moving violations, it's actually more helpful in giving other drivers the heads up on why there's a slow down caused by some other activity.

In order to report an incident while you’re using driving directions with Google Maps, tap on the triangular shaped icon in the app, then select what report you’d like to make.

Find your next turn without adjusting the map view

Whenever I start driving directions with Google Maps, I like to know what I should anticipate with upcoming turns. In the past, I would reorient the map to see what’s coming ahead, or tap the route preview icon in the app to see the entire route’s view in the app — but doing either of these is annoying and a big distraction. That’s why I’ve come to use this hidden Google Maps feature that makes it simpler and more intuitive.

At the top of the interface you’ll find the set of directions you’re supposed to follow, but if you perform a swipe gesture on it, you’ll see the next set of driving instructions. Check out the animation above to see this feature in action.

When you do this, it’ll also jump to the section of the map that corresponds to those directions. This makes it way more convenient for me to see what I need to do with upcoming turns, so that way, I can know whether to turn left or right.

Planning a route by setting an arrival or destination time

This one has saved me so much time because traffic conditions constantly change. One mistake many people make whenever they use Google Maps is that they don’t plan ahead and simply punch in their destination the moment they leave. As a result, they might find themselves having to drive for much longer due to traffic and other factors.

That’s why I suggest planning ahead by setting a departure or arrival time in Google Maps. For example, if I need to be at work for a meeting by 10:00 a.m., I like setting up an arrival time for Google Maps to tell me when’s the best time for me to leave. I frequently do this because Google Maps does an excellent job of taking into consideration common traffic conditions during the specified time, so I’m not wasting more time than needed.

You can set an arrival or departure time by tapping the pull down menu under the driving directions tab of the app. Afterwards, you can get a sense of what actions you need to take to get there.

Enable show traffic on Map

One of the best Google Maps features to ever come out is being able to see traffic conditions on your route, with green showing free-flowing roads and red indicating congested conditions. While these color-coded traffic conditions show up on your route, there’s actually another setting that makes it better.

When you’re actively using Google Maps with driving directions, you can perform a scroll up gesture from the bottom to expand additional settings with the map. There’s one in particular for “show traffic in map” that actually displays the conditions of nearby roads, not just the one you’re on.

I find this setting useful because it can help me determine if I should stay clear from some roads, or take a gamble on taking a turn in the hopes of shaving off more time from my trip.

Manually save your parking spot

The last tip I want to share is manually saving your parking spot. Google Maps can actually do this automatically on its own, but it’s not perfect. Usually Google Maps will do this if you give the app access to your location all the time. But if you’re like me, and only give it permission while using the app, then you’ll want to manually save your parking spot.

When you’ve reached your destination, just tap the blue dot that indicates your location, perform a swipe-up gesture to show more details about your location, and then scroll over through the tabs until you see the one for “save parking.” For any new place I visit, I always use this feature so that I don’t waste time later on having to remember where I parked.

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I remember the first time I experienced true voice-guided navigation with Google Maps. It was with the Motorola DROID back in 2009, and since then, it’s been my go-to choice for driving directions. But in the last few years, I’ve taken a look at Apple Maps every now and then to see how it’s evolving.

That’s why I put Apple Maps vs. Google Maps to the test, by using the two side-by-side for a month — accumulating over 1,000 miles of driving in the process while testing out many of the best electric cars out there.

My colleague Josh Render already put Google Maps vs. Waze to the test for a weekend trip, while I did my own comprehensive comparison with Apple Maps vs. Waze.

Now I want to put the two best driving navigation apps to the test and say which is better right now. This won’t be the last time I compare the two competing services, just because they’re constantly being upgraded with new features and tools — so things could change very quickly.

Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Interface

After I’ve punched in an address, both services provide me with multiple sets of directions to choose from. I do like how Apple Maps gives me three options to choose from, versus the two with Google Maps.

They actually share a lot in common with their interfaces, such as the ability to select different types of maps (like satellite), add a stop to your route, check traffic conditions, and customize the route. I always like setting a departure time way before I get on the road, since it gives me an approximate time to leave.

What I like about Google Maps is that it shows me how much I could end up paying in tolls with my chosen route — along with some gas prices at different stations. These are helpful because when I drive to unfamiliar places, it’s nice to anticipate how much in tolls I’ll incur.

When I’m driving on the road, I prefer how Apple Maps adds more details to its maps. For example, the generated trees in the interface add a slick look that makes it more believable than the ‘flatter’ style of Google Maps.

Secondly, Apple Maps has a habit of keeping the default view closer to my location on the map — especially when I’m on a specific road for a long time. For example, I cruised on the Garden State Parkway for 26 miles straight.

Although Google Maps just recently introduced an option to “show 3D buildings” on the map, Apple Maps’ version is still way better. It’s especially helpful in major metropolitan cities, like New York, because it even provides satellite views. The amount of detail is insane, so much so that I’ve used it to describe things like waiting for people near a giant sign on the side of a building.

Winner: Apple Maps

Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Voices

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Apple Maps has better voices for navigation. While both have different English-speaking accents to choose from, like British, Australian, and even Indian, Siri’s voice sounds more natural.

There’s just something about Siri’s speaking that sounds more believable, as the words it speaks roll off the tongue a lot better. Google Maps can sound robotic at times, as intonations are sometimes accompanied by a slight pause. While Siri’s my choice between the two, Waze still has the better options because of its celebrity and character voices.

Winner: Apple Maps

Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Driving Features

These two apps have a lot of features in common, which I’ve already alluded to earlier. For a good while, Google Maps certainly offered way more features, but Apple’s been slowly closing the gap with comparable offerings.

Street view is an example of this. While both have great detail, the way Apple Maps handles navigation in street view is slightly better because it involves just tapping an area — whereas Google Maps requires me to press the corresponding arrows.

Both driving apps also give me the ability to download offline maps, which is useful when I plan to travel to places that have spotty cell phone coverage or if I just don’t want to eat up my data plan. There’s also the option to share my location with other people, so they can get a good idea of when I’ll arrive.

While Apple has done a tremendous job of upgrading its maps service in the last couple of years, Google Maps still shows it’s still way ahead by a long margin.

One of the most helpful driving features I’ve recently discovered is the hidden one that lets me preview my route by swiping on the top directional menu in the app. Rather than trying to zoom out on the map to see my upcoming turns, this is a way more convenient way of doing it.

In addition, the timeline feature of Google Maps lets me go back in time to see past routes and visits. Of course, it gathers information from my history, but I do like reminiscing about places I’ve traveled that I have forgotten.

And while both services can remember where I parked my car, I find Google Maps to be way more reliable at doing this.

Winner: Google Maps

Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Navigation Performance

Now this is the category that I’m most interested in because, at the end of the day, I want reliable directions that get me to my destination in a timely manner. For a period of a month, I used Apple Maps on my iPhone 16 Pro Max and Google Maps on my Galaxy Z Flip 7 commuting to work. On the weekends, I did the same exact thing with all the different road trips I took — clocking in more than 1,000 miles in the process.

Through it all, I’ve come to find Google Maps consistently better at just about everything. First of all, it’s way more precise at informing me about traffic, accidents, and even police activity. The latter’s especially true because I cannot tell you how many times Google Maps gives me a heads up, while Apple Maps doesn’t even tell me.

In several instances, too, Apple Maps would guide me on a different route than what I typically know would be faster. Most of the time, I’ve taken Google Maps’ recommendations, but there have been a few times when I felt bold enough to take up Apple Maps’ advice. However, I feel like all of them didn’t really save me more time than Google Maps.

Another memorable moment was during rush hour heading home, when I knew that the car-only lane of the New Jersey Turnpike is usually more congested than the truck lane. There were a few times when Apple Maps directed me towards the car-only lane, but I decided to take Google’s advice to stick with the truck lane. And thankfully, I did because despite having the smooth traffic early on, it eventually crawled to bumper-to-bumper. Of course, I had the last laugh because I was cruising home faster in the truck lane, thanks to Google Maps.

The only area where Apple Maps beats Google Maps is in its more explicit directions. For example, Google Maps would tell me to stay right when the highway splits, but Apple Maps does it better by explicitly telling me to stay in the “second lane from the right.”

Winner: Google Maps

Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Bottom Line

This one came out a lot closer than I initially thought, which also proves that Apple Maps is just as good as Google Maps. In the past, whenever I’ve tested out the two services, there was such a wide gap in the amount of features Google Maps offered over Apple Maps — but that’s no longer the case.

While it may appear that it’s come down to a tie between these two services, I would give the win to Google Maps for the simple fact that it gives the better set of directions.

Apple has improved the interface of its maps app and offers better voice guidance, but Google Maps still has more features that I care about, such as accurately notifying me of upcoming traffic and other important information.

Plus, it’s proven to be better at anticipating road conditions during congestion hours.

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Waze has begun rolling out a feature it first announced a year ago, which aims to make it even easier to report potential road hazards. However, some issues appear to affect how other features of the app work.

The feature, Conversational Report, was first announced back in October 2024, but so far has only been available in beta. However, reports on the r/Waze sub-Reddit reveal that the feature has started rolling out to some users.

So far, reports indicate this is only appearing on iPhones in the U.S., with no information on when other devices might have access. I checked the Waze app on my iPhone 15 Pro Max and didn't see the feature, so U.K. users might be waiting a while.

Conversational Report should be worth the wait, though, as it allows users to use voice commands to report road hazards on their journey, instead of a touch screen. This offers, in concept at least, a more seamless experience while driving and allows the driver to focus on the road instead of their phone. However, it looks like not everyone is happy with the addition as it currently stands.

What are the problems with Conversational Report?

While the new feature certainly appears to be convenient, some issues have Waze users pulling out their hair. For instance, users have reported that Conversational Report doesn’t resume media playback after use, with one reportedly having to disconnect CarPlay completely, then reconnect to get the music playing again.

Meanwhile, other users' reports have revealed bugs and errors that go a step further and make media playback non-functional. However, with the slow rollout, it might take some time before Google deals with the problem. Thankfully, Waze has a lot of other features to offer drivers in the meantime.

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You can use an app for years and still be surprised at all the features you didn't know existed. The latest example comes from Google Maps.

A person on TikTok recently posted a video showing how to quickly reveal upcoming directions, something I didn't know was available. If you swipe left on the direction box, Google Maps will pull up the upcoming steps on your trip, and you can jump ahead to different points on the map. To reset, you can click the re-center button to return the map to your current location.

In general, when using Google Maps, it just shows you the next immediate step in your journey. However, with complicated directions or when you find yourself in a set of confusing city streets, the ability to quickly look ahead can be handy.

It's helpful for me, as I can act as a navigator for my partner, who uses CarPlay in our household. Fortunately, for those of us who use Android Auto like me, this feature is available there, too.

Quick and easy navigation

I did a quick test of this hidden Google Maps feature in the car from my house to my in-laws on streets I already knew. I found it works great for looking at upcoming directions without having to take my eyes off the road to zoom out on the map, a fairly unsafe distraction.

Swiping the direction box and clicking a step or two ahead let me see upcoming changes pretty quickly. For those who like to know what exit number to take on the highway before Maps tells you to turn, this will definitely reduce some stress.

Let me know what your favorite Google Maps or CarPlay tricks are. I'm always looking to make navigation easier.

In the meantime, here are 11 underrated Google Maps features you should be using.

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Google's Material 3 Expressive update has finally come to Android 16, following the launch of the Pixel 10. But the rollout isn't quite done yet, and Google has now revealed some new updates that will be tweaking the design of Google Maps (via 9to5Mac) — making it look a little more consistent with the rest of Android 16.

The actual map itself doesn't look that different, and at first glance, you probably didn't know that the app had actually been updated. It's only when you open up the carousel menu, which lives at the bottom of the screen, that you're likely to notice anything different.

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I stumbled across Google Maps' Area 51 Easter egg by accident while searching for unusual locations online. When you hover over the restricted military base in Nevada, a small UFO icon appears instead of the usual location marker.

It's a playful nod to the conspiracy theories surrounding the site, and it made me wonder what other hidden features Google has tucked away in its mapping service.

After spending ages exploring coordinates and satellite imagery, I discovered that Google Maps is filled with these kinds of surprises. Some are intentional Easter eggs created by Google's developers, while others are fascinating real-world locations that just happen to look unusual from above.

Here are five interesting Easter eggs I've found, along with the exact coordinates you need to discover them yourself.

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Recently, I decided to test out two of the most popular navigation apps for a weekend trip and boy, was I surprised by the reaction. In my Google Maps vs Waze face-off, I preferred Google Maps overall, but I did see some of the benefits of Waze as a product.

And let’s just say the reaction from Tom’s Guide readers was not tepid. We got over 100 comments from committed Waze fans detailing what they love about the app. I’ve read through all those posts and compiled a breakdown of precisely why people are invested in Waze and what features they love about the navigation app.

While most of the comments agreed on certain features, there were more than a few standouts that I wanted to share.

The Waze social feature makes the traffic reports more trustworthy

One thing that was apparent throughout the comment thread was that many people found the traffic reporting much more trustworthy on Waze. This was due to several factors, but one of the most pressing appeared to be the inclusion of other Wazers. According to comments, having other people visible on the road helped users to better predict future obstacles or issues, while also putting a name — of a sort — to the report.

"I prefer Waze because it shows traffic accidents in real time and speed traps. Google seldom offers these updates and never radar traps. In addition slowing traffic due to construction or accidents are always late in showing up on Google. Waze allows users to re-verify if Radar traps, Accidents and Construction are in fact still in that location or you can update and notify Waze that it has Cleared. So in my book Waze is the superior navigation app." - Donald Conley

On top of that, commentors suggested that Waze-reported issues tended to be more up-to-date than the ones on Google. Personally, I didn’t find this to be the case, but then my own journey didn’t include all that many hazards or police stops, and speed cameras tend to hang around for a while.

"One of the reasons I find it important to know other people around you are using Waze is that it gives you confidence in the reporting of objects on the road, slow down, and police. Just my two cents..." - elricwolf

I can certainly see the advantage of having other drivers be more visible. For instance, as readers pointed out, you could gauge what a road could be like due to how many drivers were traveling on it. So this could help you decide to take an alternate route without being prompted.

Other top Waze features loved by readers

There were more than a few other Waze features that commenters wanted to point out. For instance, one reader highlighted that Waze can learn your driving habits to better track and time your journey. Now, I didn’t really experience this in a shorter journey, but as I understand it, Google Maps does not offer a similar feature. This could be a major winner for me in the long run, although potentially risky considering my tendency to try and beat Google Maps' suggested arrival time (while observing all the road and speed laws, of course)

"Waze has ability to learn your driving style, so if you routinely travel faster or slower than the average driver it takes that into account when predicting journey times." - dplobley

Additionally, some comments noted that they appreciate Waze’s ability to easily display the direction sequence with the press of a button. While this isn’t one that is a big concern for me, I can see how it would help people when travelling.

"One feature not mentioned where I think Waze wins is, it is a quick tap to see what the list of next turns is, with Google you have to pull up a menu and then tap direction list. i like to know my next moves especially when the is a short distance between them. As for Google I really appreciate its ability to give me a bike or walking map. So of course I do use them both." - reillydex

Another constant throughout the comment section was that Google Maps was preferable when going on a trip, especially to somewhere new. However, Waze was ideal when travelling in an area you knew, and was preferable in big cities with lots of potential hazards.

I can see the advantage in this, and having more options is never a bad thing.

Waze outlook

The poll that we placed in the article also made it clear that Waze was the preferred option over Google Maps for the majority of readers. This means that Waze’s unique features are a draw for a lot of you, which is great to see. The ideal situation is to always have options, and there are clearly things that work to Waze’s advantage.

Users also seemed to love having more voice options with Waze, and it was nice to see I wasn’t the only one to choose Master Chief. However, I still find it odd that Cortana wasn’t an option.

If we’ve missed any feature that you really love, then why not let us know in the comments, or if there’s a feature that you want to see Google add? Otherwise, happy driving to you all!

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Those of you who remember driving before Google Maps, or any kind of GPS navigation, will know just how incredible a service it is. As long as you have a cell signal, it's now almost impossible to get lost or struggle to find where you need to go. But there's a lot more to Google Maps than simply getting from point A to point B.

Google Maps has a bunch of features hiding under the surface you may not know about. Some of them involve different ways to navigate, but others have absolutely nothing to do with travel at all. Some of them even help you avoid getting into your car in the first place.

I regularly find myself taking advantage of Google Maps features that have absolutely nothing to do with giving you directions — and here are 11 of my favorites.

While Google-owned Waze might be the king of incident reporting, you can still make roadborne problems known in Google Maps while you're driving. To get started you'll need to tap the Report button, which looks like a speech bubble with a "+" in the middle.

From there you'll have the option to report crashes, speed traps, traffic slowdowns, construction, Lane Closures, disabled vehicles or obstacles in the road plus the presence of any police activity. If enough people make similar reports, you'll see it start to show up on Google Maps for all passing drivers.

Report road hazards and crashes (Just like Waze)

One-handed gestures

Google Maps can seem difficult to navigate without two hands, but it is possible to control the interface without having to stop what you're doing — which is especially useful when you're driving.

You can zoom in by double-tapping the screen and moving your finger up and down. Or you can change the orientation by spinning your index finger and thumb together on the screen. Finally, if you feel the need to change your perspective, swipe up and down with two fingers together.

Help with parking

If you're struggling to find a parking lot that actually has space, you only need to turn to Google Maps for help. Not only can Google Maps tell you how much room certain parking lots have while you're navigating, you can also pre-book your parking ahead of time — just tap the Book icon and Google Maps will show you links to the services that can get your spot reserved.

Of course if you're likely to forget where you parked, there's a feature for that too. Simply press and hold the blue location icon on the map to force the Your Location menu to pop-up. Then tap the Save parking icon, and Google will drop a yellow pin pointing out roughly where you parked. Just remember that how exact it will be will depend on the GPS signal. The Pin will also only last 24 hours, unless you remove it sooner.

Share your location with others

You don't need to send people an ETA and then have to update them if circumstances change. You can use Google Maps to share your location, or your journey progress to keep them updated in real time.

This only works if you're in some kind of navigation, admittedly, but it's easy enough to do. Swipe up from the bottom of your phone and select Share trip progress. Then choose a contact or app to send the generated link to. Sharing will end when you arrive, but you can end things sooner by following the same steps and selecting Stop sharing.

Change your vehicle avatar

No need to have a boring default arrow on your Google Maps, especially now that Google has a whole range of alternatives for you to choose from. You need to start your navigation and tap the existing icon on screen. This will bring up the Driving Avatar menu with a bunch of different vehicle options to choose from — some of which can even change color.

Ask Gemini for inspiration

Like just about every other thing Google offers, Gemini has come to Google Maps in a variety of different ways. The one I like the most is to ask the AI for inspiration, in case you're either in an unfamiliar area or just need something to do.

All you need to do is type a prompt into the search bar for Gemini to get going. Examples Google uses include "fun winter activity in Seattle" or "interactive date nights in SF." Really, though, the opportunities are endless, and there's nothing stopping you from asking for dinner suggestions, good places to hang out, or anything else you can think of.

Time travel in Street View

Google Street View gets updated pretty regularly, but the older photos don't get deleted. They're still accessible through a feature Google calls "time travel."

On mobile devices, simply load up Street View and tap See more dates at the bottom of your screen. This lets you see a whole list of Street View photos from the past, and navigate as though they were the most recent offerings. Things work in a similar manner on desktop, but the See More Dates option will be on the top left side of your screen.

Find a ride share

You don't even have to drive yourself around. Google Maps can help you summon either a ride share or, in some areas a taxi, to get you where you need to go. Simply start setting up your journey as normal, but instead of picking the car, walking, or the other options, scroll to the very end and choose the ride-hailing symbol. It's a figure with a raised hand and a suitcase.

This will show you which ride share and cab services are available, how far away they are and roughly how long the journey will take in current conditions.

However the booking isn't made in Google Maps, and you may need to download a third-party app. But if you have multiple ride share apps on your phone, this little tool will help you pick the most convenient service at any given time.

Order groceries

If you need some food in your pantry pronto, and don't want to do the shopping yourself then you can order some groceries through Google Maps too. It only works for select chains, such as Kroger (including Fry's, Ralphs and Marianos), Albertson's, ShopRite, and Stop & Shop.

Simply find the supermarket in question and tap Place an Order. Google Maps will then redirect you to a third party, either the grocery chain itself or a food delivery service like Uber Eats or Instacart, for you to carry out your purchase.

However if you do opt for a pickup, Google can inform the store about your ETA, which means your order should be ready soon after you arrive.

Find EV chargers for your car

Did you know that Google Maps has made it a lot simpler to find a place to charge your electric car? Not only can you search for nearby chargers from the search bar Google Maps can highlight compatible chargers while you're driving.

Google is capable of getting real-time information from chargers, so as you're driving by you'll be able see how many chargers are actually available for you to use.

Though it helps if Google knows what kind of car you have, and which chargers it's compatible with. So head into Settings > Your Vehicles > Select Electric and then choose the appropriate charger types.

Measure distances

You don't need to set up a navigation session to figure out how far away something is. You can just measure distance inside Google Maps, and not just in a single straight line either. Individual lines are measured as the crow flies, but you can chain them together to measure out much longer distances.

On mobile, Google will only tell you the total distance, not the distance between individual points, whereas desktop will show you both.

On mobile you do this by pressing and holding your finger against the map, then selecting Measure Distance on the pop-up menu. From there you navigate the screen as normal and press the blue Plus icon whenever you find a new spot to measure to. On a desktop right-click a spot and select Measure Distance. This will set your start point, and each subsequent click on the map sets a measurement line.

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When I was younger, driving anywhere included figuring out the ultimate challenge: who you would trust with the map. This constant issue was soon replaced by the ever faithful, if limited, TomTom. However, with the rise of smartphones, we had a new way to find our way, the map apps.

There have been several apps that help you find your way around, but obviously the most well-known is Google Maps. However, while Google might be the most well-known, there are a couple of competitors, including Apple Maps. However, there is a third option, and it's one that I never really considered: Waze.

For some reason, I never really bothered with Waze, partially because I am one of those people who never really change my app when I find one that works. I've been using Google Maps to chart my journey for years, but could it be time for a change? I decided to test the two apps to see which is better for me.

To do this, I took both apps and had them navigate an hour-long trip for me, to see which offers the best information and the best overall route. I also wanted to see what the difference was in settings and what was unique about each app, even though both are owned by Google.

Editor's Note: We have listened to your comments and have added information on missing features, such as Police alerts and speed traps.

Waze vs Google: set up

I never really considered “setting up” to be a part of a map app, but as it turns out, I was wrong when it comes to Waze. The app is full of options and features, including being able to add a variety of voices to relay directions to you. I have to say, having the option to have Halo’s Master Chief was certainly novel, although it was odd that Cortana wasn’t an option.

Not only that, you can create a full profile on Waze, including a user name, that other people can see when on the app. Honestly, this addition is just confusing to me. Why would I want people whom I don't know to know where I am, and what speed I was going? On top of that, I'm not entirely sure why I would need to know that other people are using the app, other than Waze just showing off. Thankfully, you can turn this option off, which is the choice I went with.

Google is much simpler, and doesn't really worry about you needing a profile or showing you other drivers.. There are some voice options, but honestly, I usually turn them off as they interrupt whatever you’re listening to on Apple Music or Spotify. You can also set your home address, as well as your office and other sites you constantly visit, but that's about it.

Waze vs Google: Features

The first thing I have to mention is that Waze is entirely about driving, so it doesn’t offer directions for taking public transport or even walking. Meanwhile, Google Maps is a lot more comprehensive, even if the London Underground’s hectic schedule faults and issues can make it have a digital migraine.

With that said, both services claim to offer up-to-date traffic information, although Waze has it constantly visible, which I honestly prefer. This allows for more planning, but it can make the actual screen a bit too cluttered, which led me to worry a bit more about issues that I would never see. Meanwhile, Google makes you aware of certain points of interest in your journey, like speed cameras, but doesn't indicate them outside of your route.

Both apps also offer digital speedometers, although neither was all that accurate. I wouldn’t recommend telling the police that your map app said you were going 50, no matter how convincing you try to be. One thing Waze does offer is up-to-date parking information and if you’ve ever tried to park in London, this can be a real lifesaver.

However, Google has one advantage in that it offers satellite imagery of the area around you, alongside street view. This can be a big deal when your friend forgets to tell you his address and says, “It’s the red house.” Google Maps can also work offline if you download the specific areas of the map onto your device. It’s not ideal, and useless if you're in an emergency in an area you didn't download, but it’s a nice option to have.

One aspect of particular note for many users is Waze's ability to show alerts for Police and speed traps in the area. While this was originally specific to Waze, Google introduced the ability to report speed traps and other slowdowns in 2019. This was then changed to the more general "Police" report in 2024. Overall, I will say that Waze does appear to offer information with more regularity.

Waze vs Google: What was the drive like

So what was the drive actually like and how did the journey go? Honestly, the actual directions were pretty comparable, although Waze can get a bit confused when it comes to roads with restricted lanes. However, for the most part, they both got me where I needed to go.

I will note that Google Maps does tend to take me on strange diversions, especially on longer journeys, which can be a bit of a pain. For instance, it decided I should leave a motorway, to then go straight back on the motorway a second later. It was tedious, and didn’t happen nearly as much as on Waze. However, having a colored, detailed map was preferable to me over the stagnant white map that Waze uses.

Meanwhile, Waze tended to avoid too much detail when it came to the roads, which is odd considering how much other stuff was rammed on the screen. This not only makes the screen look really cluttered, but it also makes it harder to focus on the route I am meant to be taking, which can be a bit confusing. The good news is that you can limit what you see on the map and I think you really should.

However, one thing both do is ask if certain issues are still there, like a camera. I don’t know who decided that having that was safe, but you can turn off the option in the settings (although it’s on by default.) Thankfully, both apps have been updated to allow you to use your voice.

Waze vs Google: Which did I prefer?

At the end of the day, both Waze and Google will get you from point A to point B. The main difference is in the presentation. Google is more utilitarian and allows you to go far more in-depth with your journey options, picking the best one for you.

Meanwhile, Waze offers a lot more personality, including the ability to pick interesting voices while also working to keep you up to date. It’s ideal for anyone looking for more personality and color in their apps, especially if you rely on having a voice tell you where to go.

Overall, Google Maps’ options and the ability to use it offline (with some extra steps) help it earn the win for me. I also find all the added icons with Waze to be so much noise and irrelevant to what I want from a navigation app.

A lot of this is down to personal preference, so let me know which app you prefer right in the comments.

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Google Maps has a lot of great features, but it appears that one of the more social ones will be removed in a few months.

According to a recent post on Google’s community support page (via Tech-Issues Today), Google Maps users will no longer be able to follow contributors. This planned change will happen automatically in September 2025 and will include the deletion of all data related to your followers, as well as those who follow you.

It is also noted that your profile’s visibility settings will not be changed, and you can still choose to hide specific content in your profile.

While Google is removing the ability to actively follow other users, you can still view contributions made by users. The only major difference is that you will no longer have these reviews and images appear in your For You tab.

Google also states that users can still connect with contributors on Local Guides Connect or make use of Google Maps' list feature to find new places to visit.

For some, the removal of the follower feature will be disappointing, especially if you value your friends' opinions, reviews and photos of local restaurants and more. However, in the feature's five years on the app, there have been a lot of complaints about bots spamming the follower request, so there is an advantage in not having to deal with constant notifications.

Other Google Maps changes

On the plus side, while we might be losing this feature, we’re seeing a lot more being added to Google Maps, including the rollout of the new screenshot feature. This allows Google Maps on iOS to make finding directions to locations seen online and screengrabbed more streamlined.

It allows Google Maps to quickly scan your photo library and gather together all the images you have that contain location information. You can then use these screenshots to plan your journey.

We also recently saw that Google Maps had apparently removed the media playback feature from the Android version of the app. While many were distraught at the loss, Google has since released a statement that this was due to a bug, and not an official update. Google is reportedly working on a fix for the problem, so it should not affect users for too long.

This change isn’t one that will affect how many people will use the app, but for others, it might be a sign to move to a different app. However, it is not possible to follow other users on either Apple Maps or Waze.

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