Newsletter
Google Maps has been adding new features over time and it will soon be updated to version 9.16 making it easier to plan a route between two points with the possibility to add some stops along the way. Users needed to make different routes for each stop before, so this way certainly looks more convenient. When users are in Navigation mode and they tap on the menu button on the bottom right corner, they will get the new option “Search along route”, so they can find Gas Stations, Restaurants, Coffee Shops or Grocery Shops. If they can’t find a specific place, they can use the “Search for more places” option.
Alternatively, they can tap the magnifying glass button on the top left (where the microphone icon used to be in the previous version) which will display a similar menu, but the map remains more visible and they can use the microphone icon or the keyboard to search for a more specific place. The search results for these specific places will appear on the map and users will be able to choose the one they prefer based on the information provided by the card below. The card shows the total time of navigation as well as the additional time it will take to make the detour. There are options to Navigate to that place or Dismiss it on the card, but if no option is selected, it will automatically be added to the route.
Currently, only one stop along the route is allowed, but it can be later removed or replaced using the magnifying glass button or the Menu button. This will not alter the navigation from the current position. One neat feature is that the updated app shows gas prices when searching for a Gas Station along the route but also when doing a typical search for Gas Stations (this was previously featured in Waze). Not all of them show the pricing, but they probably will in a near future. This is a great update, but it could be even better if more stops could be included along the road or if users could choose the distance between the chosen route and the additional destinations. The update will start rolling out on the next few weeks.
