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I’ve always preferred Google Maps over competitors like Apple Maps and Waze for navigation. However, the more I use the app, the more I find its other features play an essential role in my lifestyle, whether at home or on the go.
1Location Sharing for Safety
Google Maps has proved invaluable to me in recent years, as I live in a bustling city of 15 million people with questionable town planning. Its location-sharing feature also gives those close to me peace of mind when I am out of the house, whether commuting, on motorcycle trips, or hiking in sparsely populated areas. At the same time, my partner shares their location with me to help ensure their safety whenever they stay out late without me.
While it may appear intrusive to the uninitiated, location sharing is voluntary and can be easily turned on and off. To activate location sharing, tap your profile icon in the search bar to access theMain Menu, then selectLocation sharing > New share. You can then choose your sharing duration and enter the recipient’s Gmail address to activate the share. Your profile icon will then appear on their map at your precise location.
2Useful Recommendations
Whenever I find myself in a new place, I like to get my bearings. Pull up Google Maps, and I’m presented with helpful information, including the top local attractions, nearby hotels, thebest times to vacation, and helpful suggestions from “Local Guides.” These people have requested to join Google’s guide program, and a little local knowledge can go a long way as they often suggest good quality and affordable restaurants, little-known attractions, and cozy retreats that are off the beaten track.
I find that using local recommendations takes me outside of my comfort zone and encourages me to try new things. Once I see something that grabs my attention, I tap on it to find its location, star rating, and price range (if applicable) and hit theDirectionsbutton to find the best route to get there.
3Revisiting the Past
One of my favorite features of Google Maps is the Timeline. To use this service, the Timeline must first be activated by visitingMain Menu > Settings > Personal Content > Location Settings. Google will then create a personal history showing your movements on any given day, accessible via the Main Menu.
My Timeline documents places I have visited, the time between destinations, the duration of each visit, photos I took en route, and the actual route on the map. It also compiles my info into trips, which can be sorted by hotels, restaurants, attractions, etc., for reference. The Timeline offers insights to take a deep dive into how I spend my time each month, and I can sort my information according to places, cities, and countries visited.
4Saving Essential Items
My saved items started as a list of a few places of interest that deserved further investigation. This list has snowballed into a directory of bars, restaurants, hotels, and inspiring travel destinations that I hope to get around to visiting someday. Having potential destinations saved to my Google Maps account has made me far more likely to visit later on, as I can remind myself of my plans and easily work out the logistics, such as travel times, dining, and transport from within the app.
I alsocreate lists of my favorite placesI visit on my travels to jog my memory if I pass that way again and forward to others as recommendations. My home and workplaces are always labeled for quick navigation, and all are accessed via the “You” menu on the home screen. My saved items are a valuable resource for trip planning, a source of inspiration, and a catalog of favorites.
5Sourcing Services
One of the many reasons why Google Maps is more than justthe best for navigationis its comprehensive list of services, restaurants, places to stay, gas stations, and pretty much everything else, right at your fingertips. Many of these are categorized at the top of the home page for quick access and are presented as icons with ratings right there on the map.
I’m only two taps away from sourcing and navigating to any service on Google Maps, with essential information, including contact numbers, addresses, opening hours, average prices, and user reviews conveniently presented before I hit the “Start” button. I have come to take it for granted, but it is one of the most vital features of this impressive app, saving me many inconveniences over the years.
6Integration and Collaboration
Google Maps has become a mainstay of business and commerce, and its uses extend far beyond my basic utility. It can be integrated into many applications and services to aid route planning, logistics, and customer service, to name a few. Businesses can even integrate Google’s API into their websites, simultaneously driving engagement and assisting potential customers.
Google Maps' collaborative features further amplify its benefits, whether for simple event planning or coordinating a large-scale multi-user business operation. Teams can create custom maps and add their own notes and markers to assist them in their projects. On a broader scale, individuals can contribute bywriting user reviews of businesses, places, and services to improve the user experience further.
Google Maps transcends the basics of getting from A to B, and it is constantly working behind the scenes to make our lives easier, whether it’s helping a package get delivered in a timely manner or posting nationwide extreme weather warnings as part of a government initiative. If you are a casual user of this versatile app, it’s worth delving a little deeper to see how it can improve your lifestyle, as it has mine.
