At Google I / O, Google presents a number of useful improvements for Google Photos and Google Maps in 2021. We put them on the map for you.
Google Photos and Google Maps in 2021
Google I / O is Google’s WWDC: a developer event that kicks off with a keynote. In this presentation, the company shows what it has in store for its apps and Android in terms of software.
This is also interesting for Apple users, since many popular iOS apps are developed by Google. In 2021, both Google Photos and Google Maps will improve. We list what you need to know about it.
Google Maps: 4 new announcements
Google Maps remains the most popular navigation app on the iPhone, so if Google has news about Google Maps, that is of course also interesting for Apple users. The company announced these four new functions.
1. Improved Live View function
With the Live View function of Google Maps, the app draws the route on the road through the lens of your camera. This function is currently still somewhat experimental, but is gradually taking shape.
This gives the function a more prominent place on the home screen of the app and makes it a lot smarter. This ensures that even densely populated and busy places are no problem for Live View to point you in the right direction. Finally, there will also be more ‘indoor’ areas where Live View can find its way. Handy if, for example, you are lost in an airport or large shopping center and a route on a map offers little help.
2. Visible crowds in parts of the city
You can use Maps for some time to see how busy it is at specific shops or restaurants at certain times. Google is now expanding this function further by sketching a general busy picture of parts of a city. This way you can see which place to avoid if you prefer not to walk through a crowd. On the map you can see what you can expect with a colored area and a text with ‘Busier than normal’ or ‘normal crowds’.
3. The fastest route (and not just the shortest)
Google Maps has a hand in offering you the shortest route, while in practice it is not always the fastest.
For that reason, Google will now look at the number of interruptions you have to make on average. In this way, the app checks how often you need to slow down or stop and choose a route that allows you to keep driving.
4. More details on the map
Finally, the appearance of the cards is also improving. More details become visible, especially if you zoom in a little further. For example, Google Maps will show traffic lights and which roads are accessible for wheelchairs. When these detailed maps will become available in the Netherlands is still a question. Google is rolling them out gradually, starting with 50 major cities around the world.
Google Photos: Two improvements in 2021
Google Photos is Google’s free photo service, which is also popular on iOS. The app backs up your photos so that they are always available online, even if you lose your iPhone.
1. Locked Folder
Google Photos gets a new ‘Locked Folder’, a closed folder where users can store their private photos. You can lock this folder with a password, Touch ID or Face ID.
Photos that you place in this folder do not appear in the general overview of photos. Handy if you prefer not to encounter them when scrolling through your gallery. It is not yet clear when the function will become available exactly. It will appear on Android first.
2. Animated photos
We already know Live Photos from Apple, but Google takes a slightly different approach. The company has found a way to make still photos moving with machine learning.
By grabbing two photos taken right after each other, the algorithm fills in the frames in between, creating a short animation. That way, Google can stitch a few still photos together and bring them to life. Google has already mentioned that the ‘soon’ feature is also coming to the iOS app.
Do you want to know more about Google I / O? Then check the Google I / O 2021 round-up our sister site Android Planet