Ever since the announcement was made at Google I/O back in May, Google Maps app has been in a major overhaul mode. Significant updates have been rolling out constantly throughout the year. The latest of the additions being – the “For You” feature which makes its way to iOS. This feature, which was first exclusive to Android devices in the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and Japan, will now find its way to a wider userbase starting today. It will now be available on iOS in 40 countries and on Android in over 130 countries.
“For You” is a personalized feed of updates that recommends new places and eateries to check out, be it in your local neighborhood or even when you’re vacationing in a new place. This feature is tailored to suit the personality of the user. It prompts recommendations based on your personal tastes and preferences it’s inferred from your use of the Google Maps app. The “Your Match” is a new feature which assigns a numeric rating to each restaurant or bar, depending on your previous choices and ratings. The idea being every person’s opinions of a place might differ from the general populace.
Simply follow neighborhoods or places you’re interested in to get updates and recommendations—everything from recent news about an opening or pop up, a new menu item, and even restaurant suggestions based on what you’re likely to enjoy. If you’re making a trip this holiday season, the For You can help you get a jump start on travel planning even before you take off.
Users can also now follow the local stores and restaurants to make sure you stay in the loop on changes or events. You’ll now be the first person to know if the local market has restocked that particular item you’ve been asking them to forever. And you’ll also get to know about any new additions to the menu of the restaurants you visit regularly. To complement this feature, they also redesigned the My Business App and added a new Customers tab. This helps them keep track of reviews, view who has chosen to follow the business and also respond to messages from customers.
Google added a Material Theme to the Maps apps earlier this year. It also redesigned the Explore section with big bright icons for coffee shops, sports bars, live music venues, popular restaurants, upcoming events, and more. With a host of these new features, Google is trying to position Maps as a platform that goes beyond a regular navigational service and instead as a one-stop destination for most of your queries.
