Google Maps for iOS Gaining Augmented Reality Live View Search in Select Cities

Google is bringing a new augmented reality Live View feature to its Maps app, allowing smartphone users to visually search for restaurants, coffee shops, and other businesses that are located nearby.

Google maps feaure
Using Live View, you can open up Maps and tap the camera icon in the search bar to see what's around you, from shops and banks to ATMs and bars. Google Maps will provide AR-powered directions and arrows, giving you an idea of how far a location is from you and how you can get there. In addition, you can also see key information about each place overlaid right on the screen, such as whether it's open, what the price range is, and how it's rated.

Google says that users can tap on place categories to see what restaurants, bars, dessert shops, parks, and transit stations are within walking distance.

Google previewed search with Live View back in September, but now the feature is ready to launch. It will be rolling out in London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and Tokyo starting next week.

Google is also rolling out new features that will make it easier for electric vehicle owners to find the best charging station for their vehicles with a "fast charge" filter, plus Google is expanding information about wheelchair accessible, stair-free places around the world.

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Top Rated Comments

Leon Ze Professional Avatar
33 months ago
Thinking back to the pre google map days of 2005. What a game changer all these online mapping tools have become whether it be Google or Apple maps. We just take them for granted now.

The amount of work and data going into this is huge!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
33 months ago

I know there will be people here that will say Apple Maps are great but let’s be real google maps is king.

Is it just me that double checks Apple Maps by opening Google maps ??!
For some reason, I still prefer Apple Maps.

Btw, The new feature, finding charging stations for electric vehicles is going to be so helpful.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kar98 Avatar
33 months ago

yet still no live speedometer on iOS
There’s this orange needle sweeping across a dial right in front of my face in the dash.

Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Born Again Avatar
33 months ago
I know there will be people here that will say Apple Maps are great but let’s be real google maps is king.

Is it just me that double checks Apple Maps by opening Google maps ??!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ericg301 Avatar
33 months ago
yet still no live speedometer on iOS
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coolfactor Avatar
33 months ago

Thinking back to the pre google map days of 2005. What a game changer all these online mapping tools have become whether it be Google or Apple maps. We just take them for granted now.

The amount of work and data going into this is huge!
I'm truly impressed by how well Apple Maps works these days. I absolutely *love* the Stop Light feature where you can see the traffic lights on the map, and how Siri instructs you to "go through this light, and then turn left at the next one". Makes navigating in unfamiliar areas so much easier!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)