Google Maps has added another feather to its cap by showing real-time update of an area you are going even before you start. It has offered a “Popular Times” feature on its Google Maps app last year which allows users to access how busy an establishment might be at specific times of the week or day depending on the past history. Google has introduced a new Google Search feature last year which shows the users when a bar, restaurant, retail store or any other location was busy and most popular.
“Popular Times” section of the app would show a graph highlighting the best time to visit an establishment so as to avoid crowds. Google has upgraded this feature recently by showing a real-time depiction of how popular and busy a place is at a specific time. While this feature is really useful but the users might be deprived of the features like Global Positioning System (GPS) and usable Google Now cards. This is the first time that a real-time information would be available for use.
This announcement would make holiday shopping easier and smoother this year. The latest feature would also be using anonymous information to locate where a gadget was found by Google Maps. Google’s location data traces when users are entering and leaving predestined geographical coordinates like an exact GPS location or address. It would be better if the location history of the device would be turned off as users will not find it comfortable that Google would be following them all the time.
But Google says that it is useful for the users as they can get benefits out of the location-based features. Google Maps also show the timings when the stores open and close on certain days of the week. It also shows an estimated timeframe of how long people stayed at the area, which would be useful in finding out how long to wait for your turn. Google Maps also provides features which helps users to navigate around holiday shopping groups any time.
Let us hope this new feature will prove useful for the people.