Keeping abreast of the world's technology trends, Google combines augmented reality technology with Google Maps by adding a new one to its features. Introduced last year, this technology was offered to only a group of Google users How will this technology be used in Google Maps?
We used to ask the shopkeepers or people walking on the road to go to an unknown address. But today the situation is quite different. Many people now use one of the navigation applications on their phone when searching for addresses.
Only a group of users are testing the new Google Maps for now
In particular, Google's navigation is one of the most trusted navigation applications worldwide. The Google Maps team is working on a feature that can be placed above the real-world live view to make it easier for pedestrians to navigate their journey with navigation. Augmented reality makes navigating Google Maps much easier.
To test this feature, Google gave a group of people phones with the new version of Google Maps. In the video published by The Wall Street Journal, David Pierce tested Google Maps with augmented reality. While testing the application, Pierce described his experiences in this video.
Forget the map with this feature because with your camera you can only see the street. You will see large arrows on the screen of your phone in the direction you will go in the area where you hold the camera. When you open the app and hold the phone towards the road, tap the button on the right and your phone's rear camera turns on and immediately starts scanning the roads. The application is looking for the floor, surrounding signs, and more to detect exactly where you are.
When the application detects where you are, it gives you directions on your camera in the direction you want to go, such as left or right. You can easily reach your destination with the phone's instructions. You can also see the names and reviews of nearby businesses placed around you. Google Maps will use GPS and Wi-Fi networks to detect your location.
Google is not the only company working on this
Google is not the only company working on augmented reality technology, also other important technology companies around the world are interested. It is clear that this technology will not be limited to smart phones. Self-driving cars can also benefit from this technology in the coming days.
What are the negative aspects?
One of the drawbacks of using Google Maps' augmented reality technology for walking directions is that it consumes more battery than normal navigation. For now, pedestrians testing the new application say that augmented reality technology should only be used in 5-10 seconds per turn. It is not yet clear when Google Maps with augmented reality will be available on Android and IOS.
