After months of testing Google Maps’ Live View AR feature with Local Guides level 5 or higher, Google has now begun rolling out the feature to the beta version of the app. This new feature uses a combination of Augmented Reality, Machine Learning, and Visual Location Services to map out walking directions for you in the real world.
But if you want to try it out on your phone, you need to do a few things first. And that is what we are going to talk about in this article. Without further ado, let’s take a look at how you can get Live View on Google Maps, along with some other great tips for the app.
How to View Live View on Google Maps
To get Live View on your device, you’ll need to switch to the beta version of the Google Maps app first. Just follow these simple steps to gain access to the Google Maps beta:
Step 1: Open the Play Store and access the Google Maps listing.
Step 2: Scroll down to find the beta signup option and tap Join.
Step 3: Select Join again in the following pop-up to switch to the beta program.
If all goes well, you’ll see a new prompt at the top of the list that says: ‘Beta Signing Up. It takes a few minutes.’ Once registration is complete, you will receive an update for Google Maps on the Play Store. Simply tap the update button to download the beta version of the app on your device.
Now that you have successfully updated to the beta version of your app, you’ll need to change some settings in the app to enable Live View. Here’s how you can do it:
Step 1: Open the Google Maps app and tap the menu button in the top left corner.
Step 2: In the menu, select the Settings option to open the app settings.
Step 3: Here, open Navigation settings to enable Live View.
Step 4: In the Navigation settings, scroll down to the new Live View option and tap the switch next to it to enable it.
Live View will then activate on your device. To use it, all you need to do is enter your destination, tap Directions, then select the Walk option from the top toolbar.
When you start walking, just point your phone’s camera forward. The app will show you boosted arrows and signs instantly on your phone screen to guide you to your destination. Pretty cool, isn’t it?
Before you go ahead and try this feature out on your phone, there are a few things you should know. Live View will only work in countries where Google Street View is available. It is currently in beta testing. Therefore, you may encounter some unforeseen problems during your commute. And like other AR apps, this feature can drain your phone’s battery quickly. So have a charger or spare battery handy if you plan to use it often.
Now that we’ve covered everything about Live View, let’s take a look at some of the other cool Google Maps features included in the latest update.
Rediscover the places you’ve visited
The update also brings some changes to the Timeline feature, which will let you rediscover places you’ve visited in the past. To use this feature, tap the menu button in the top left corner and select your Timeline option.
In the Timeline, select the Date, Place, City or World tab and you’ll be able to see at a glance all the places you’ve been. This feature also allows you to select the category to filter the places. So if you want to find a restaurant you visited three years ago, now you can.
Find food that suits your taste
Speaking of restaurants, if you search for restaurants in Google Maps after the update, you’ll notice the new Match Yours feature. Basically, the feature takes into account the reviews you’ve submitted to previous restaurants and makes recommendations based on what you think you’ll like.
The feature appears as a percentage directly below the restaurant’s name, and you can tap it to see why Google thinks you like the place. Matches will become more accurate over time as you leave ratings for more restaurants. Additionally, you can edit your food and drink preferences to speed up the process.
Check your booking on Google Maps
Finally, the update now also brings a new Reservations feature to Google Maps. That will help you keep track of all your upcoming hotel or flight recommendations inside the app. It will collect data from your Gmail or Google Calendar and then display that data in the new Bookings (or Upcoming) tab in your Places feature.
To use this feature, all you need to do is tap the menu button, select Your Places, and then tap the Reservations (or Upcoming) tab. Here you will be able to see all your bookings at a glance. That really comes in handy when you’re visiting a new city and want to navigate to your booked hotel without having to look it up first.
Update Google Maps instantly
So now that you know about all the new features coming to Google Maps, it’s time to jump to the beta channel and try it out for yourself. Before you do that, make sure you’re ready to deal with the erratic behavior of the Google Maps app. Beta builds tend to carry weird bugs. If you want to avoid those issues on your primary phone, I suggest you wait for these features to roll out to everyone.
Next up: Planning a night out with friends? Check out the next article to see how you can track them in real time using Google Maps so you know their ETA.
Categories: How to
Source: thpttranhungdao.edu.vn/en/
