Google Maps for iOS has been updated with some features that some with find extremely useful, others rather invasive.
The app now scans a user’s Gmail account for addresses and times, and displays them on a map for easy navigation. Of course, this is an opt-in feature but for users already embedded in the Google ecosystem, the two services working together will provide greater value for both.
Maps 3.2 now shows search results on the map or a list, with a toggle to easily switch between the views. Such functionality makes it far easier to scan through large swaths of data at once, or to orient oneself on an actual map in a foreign city.
Finally, the Explore feature has been updated to show “different places and activities depending on the location and time of day,” according to Google, adding Now-like context to iOS Maps users.
All of these features move Google Maps’ needle even further away from a mere navigation app and closer to something like Foursquare, Yelp or TripAdvisor, all of which purport to add context and suggestions to where you are, and when you are there.
[source]App Store[/source]
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