Upcoming Google Maps Update Will Bring Glanceable Directions as a Live Activity

February 8, 2023

Google has just detailed a wide variety of new features landing soon on Google Maps.

For iPhone users, the biggest addition is that the popular navigation app is arriving on the lock screen as a live notification.

With glanceable directions, you can view information like ETAs and where to make your next turn on the lock screen without needing to unlock your phone. If you device to take a new way to your final destination, the trip will automatically be updated.

The feature will arrive “in the coming months.”

Another new feature, rolling out today, is Immersive View. It fuses Street View and aerial images to create a model of a location. It also layers other information like weather, traffic, and how busy a place is.

You can now see Immersive View in London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo.

Google better explains how the feature works:

Say you’re planning a visit to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. You can virtually soar over the building and see where things like the entrances are. With the time slider, you can see what the area looks like at different times of day and what the weather will be like. You can also spot where it tends to be most crowded so you can have all the information you need to decide where and when to go. If you’re hungry, glide down to the street level to explore nearby restaurants — and even take a look inside to quickly understand the vibe of a spot before you book your reservation.

It will launch in additional cities in the coming months including Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence and Venice.

The Search with Live view options allows you to find things around you like an ATM. Just life your phone and see the important information. It’s now available in London, Los Angeles, New York, Paris, San Francisco and Tokyo and will eventually expand to Barcelona, Dublin and Madrid.

A similar Live View option indoors uses arrows to help point you in the right direction in place like an airport. The feature is being expanded to more than 1,000 new locations around the world including airports, train stations, and malls.