With the introduction of digital maps, navigating the world has gotten substantially easier. Google Maps, in particular, has established itself as an essential tool for traversing our surroundings. However, navigating the complicated layout of enormous buildings and complexes can be difficult at times, particularly when trying to find the entrances even on Google Maps.
Google Maps tests a feature that displays entrances for buildings
Currently, Google Maps directs users to a specific point on a building, which often corresponded to its geographical center. This approach, while functional, could sometimes lead to confusion, as the designated point might not necessarily represent the main entrance. In some cases, it could even be located on a completely different side of the building or even on an entirely different street. This happened to me more than once.
To address this common pain point, Google is currently testing a new feature. They have introduced prominent markers specifically highlighting building entrances. These markers, which are presently only available on a limited basis, are accessible to a subset of users using Google Maps for Android v11.17.0101. The test encompasses various building types, ranging from hotels and stores to public attractions, and spans across diverse locations globally, including major cities like New York City, Las Vegas, and Berlin.
We tried it ourselves and this is how it looks:
The visual representation of the entrances is clear and concise. They appear as circles with a green border and an arrow pointing inwards, leaving little room for misinterpretation. While the broad implementation of this functionality is dubious at this time, the initial test is a huge step forward in improving the user experience on Google Maps.
By giving clear visual indications for building entrances, Google hopes to make navigating not only more efficient but also less stressful for both users and business owners alike. So, if you have this feature or not, please let me know in the comments below.
Karanjot Sidhu
1024 Posts
A computer science engineer who loves tech and won't stop talking about it. Here at Piunikaweb, I mostly cover Google Pixel deals and how-tos, though you may find me covering Pixel news as well sometimes. Apart from being a nerd, i love gaming and watching movies in my free time.
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