Google Maps received an update today that introduces a couple of potentially useful new features, including a new section that lists notable events happening nearby.

The new Events section lives at the bottom of the Explore tab, where users can find a variety of things listed depending on what's going on in their location.

google maps events section
Google says Events that appear in the new section can include everything from late night comedy shows to movie screenings in the local park.

Also new in version 4.57, cycling and walking directions now feature a handy elevation chart, offering users an idea of how much physical effort they can expect to exert for the route in question.

Elevation information has been available for some time on the Google Maps website, so having the data in-app should come as a welcome addition.

Google Maps can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

flyinmac Avatar
93 months ago
Updated how many times Google's Maps App continually reports back to their servers about your location data that is "anonymous" but continually does so about 13x per minute against your EXPLICIT settings denying the app to do so under Settings> Privacy> Location.
On the flip side... if I deliberately open an app to track my location and give me directions from where I am at this moment to where I want to be, then I do obviously want to be tracked accurately by the millisecond (considering driving speed).

Alternatively, I do suppose you could go with less frequent tracking. Perhaps that’s why Apple maps seems to think I should drive my car into lakes, oceans, rivers, or any other body of water that isn’t actually a road. It does occasionally choose a different destination, like a guard rail, a mountain, or a median.

I use GPS to locate job sites all day long. Apple maps frequently activated accidentally. When I realize that I’m driving in circles or being told to crash the car, I switch to Google Maps.

If I don’t want my activity tracked, I probably wouldn’t be deliberately using a location tracking navigation device or application.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
93 months ago
Updated how many times Google's Maps App continually reports back to their servers about your location data that is "anonymous" but continually does so about 13x per minute against your EXPLICIT settings denying the app to do so under Settings> Privacy> Location.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
subjonas Avatar
93 months ago
Google maps is really starting to irritate me with its cluttered interface. When I open the app, 40% of the screen is the map and the rest is covered in menus and information I have no need for or requests for information I don’t want to input.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
93 months ago
On the flip side... if I deliberately open an app to track my location and give me directions from where I am at this moment to where I want to be, then I do obviously want to be tracked accurately by the millisecond (considering driving speed).

Alternatively, I do suppose you could go with less frequent tracking. Perhaps that’s why Apple maps seems to think I should drive my car into lakes, oceans, rivers, or any other body of water that isn’t actually a road. It does occasionally choose a different destination, like a guard rail, a mountain, or a median.

I use GPS to locate job sites all day long. Apple maps frequently activated accidentally. When I realize that I’m driving in circles or being told to crash the car, I switch to Google Maps.

If I don’t want my activity tracked, I probably wouldn’t be deliberately using a location tracking navigation device or application.
For your livelihood indeed you need accurate and safe tracking and map routing.

My post was specific to those that don't want to be tracked when the app is NOT in use, specifically closed. I should've been more specific sorry.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lepertFLA Avatar
93 months ago
I wonder which sources that Google Maps will get the information for "nearby events" and how often the info is updated...?
I agree... we would really like to know how this content is being generated. Is it contribution content or are they looking at people's Google calendars and creating content from that.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5105973 Avatar
93 months ago
Google maps makes Apple maps look like something from the stone age. With all that money Apple has, you would think they will invest in a half way decent app. Real shame what a joke Apple maps is.
I guess it depends where you live. I continue to hear and believe the horror stories people on this forum tell about Apple Maps. But because Apple invested in surveying my region, my experience is largely positive.

I prefer my Android phones for a lot of reasons, but Apple did such a great job surveying my region right down to backwoods routes that are barely paved. I love the taps I get on my Apple Watch alerting me to when I need to start changing lanes. So it may end up being Apple Maps and not iMessage that keeps me on an iPhone.

I am not fond of driving and I’m absolutely wretched at navigating, so Apple Maps has made a world of difference to a very stressful commute in a region that is an absolute commuters nightmare with traffic problems galore even on the rural routes. When they started transitioning agricultural land to McMansion neighborhoods they neglected to care if existing infrastructure could support the increased traffic. It can’t. So we end up with almost daily accidents that result in cars being shunted to alternate routes causing traffic jams for miles on roads that look like something out of “Deliverance” and by all rights should be nearly empty.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
iOS 26 Maps Glass

Apple Reportedly Moving Ahead With Ads in Maps App

Sunday October 26, 2025 6:22 am PDT by
Apple Maps could feature integrated ads as soon as next year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple's plan to bring more ads to iOS is moving "gaining traction," with the Maps app being next in line. The project will apparently give restaurants and other businesses the option to pay to have their details featured more prominently in...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday October 22, 2025 6:15 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. iOS 26.1 is currently in beta testing. The update will likely be released in the first half of November, and it is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer, but some...
swift for android

Developers Can Now Make Android Apps With Apple's Swift

Sunday October 26, 2025 4:23 am PDT by
The first preview release of the Swift SDK for Android was published this week, allowing developers to build Android apps in Swift with official tooling and making it easier to share code across iOS and Android. The SDK enables Android apps to be built in Swift using officially supported tooling rather than community workarounds. In June, it was announced that Apple's Swift programming...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...