It’s all about the lists and recommendations
- The Trending List: The places everyone’s buzzing about, updated weekly. Perfect for catching the wave of what’s hot.
- The Top List: Tried and true favorites that always hit the spot.
- The Gems List: Local secrets and hidden treasures begging to be discovered. Think cozy cafés or under-the-radar eats.
However, if you are more of the do-it-yourself type, you will also be able to create your own customized list and share it with those traveling with you. Tap on “New List” and proceed to add all the spots you want as you look through the map. You’ll be able to add your personalized notes, re-arrange the list to your linking, and even link to content from your social media accounts. These updates to customized lists will begin to roll out everywhere on Android and iOS later this month.
AI to the rescue: Understanding a place at a glance
And because no update is complete without some AI improvements, Google Maps is now using AI to pull through the key things you need to know about a place you plan to visit. Photos, reviews, the general vibe – it’ll highlight what makes a restaurant, park, or bar worth checking out. As a bonus, it even picks out dish names from the place’s posted food photos and tells you if they’re popular with the crowd.
Sometime this summer, Maps will start to get some new design tweaks to give the app a new look. According to Google, the new design will include a cleaner home screen, fewer tabs, and new pin colors to easily identify places you’ve pinned in the past. Google Maps isn’t just about directions anymore, as it has slowly evolved into an essential travel and planning tool.
All images credit: Google
