Google is making its new augmented reality walking directions, known now as Google Maps Live View, available to a much wider range of Android phones and the iPhone today. The AR walking directions first appeared on Google’s Pixel phones earlier this year, showing real-time navigation in Google Maps through your phone’s camera. You can hold your phone up next to streets and your surroundings to see arrows and directions overlaid on top of the camera view to make it far easier to locate buildings and your destination.
Android devices that support ARCore or iPhones that include ARKit support will be able to access Google Maps Live View in beta this week. This is how you can test out Live View:
- Search for a location you want to walk to or tap it on a map
- Tap on the directions button at the bottom
- Select walking directions at the top of the screen
- Tap on the new Live View option at the bottom of the screen
The new Google Maps Live View feature is part of a bigger update to Google’s mapping service. Google wants Travel and Maps to be the place you plan your trips from start to finish, and it’s adding in features to help travelers plan trips. You can read more about that right here.
Comments
Nice enhancement. But I wonder if it’s as smooth and fluid as Apple’s iOS 13 Maps Look around feature?
By Kyleh on 08.08.19 6:21am
This is a completely different feature.
Look Around is essentially Street View on steroids with a nicer UI, smoother animations and more detailed pictures.
Google Maps Live View just turns on your phone’s camera and overlays info on top of what you see. It’s probably a nice tech demo, but I just can’t see how that’s more useful than just having a map with the auto compass turned on. Also, it probably kills your battery.
By thomasbdl on 08.08.19 6:40am
Phone compasses are pretty bad, in my experience, when you’re starting navigation and haven’t walked anywhere. This sounds like it could be great for getting started on a route to orient myself; then turn it off. Unless, of course, it relies solely on the compass.
By Wyse on 08.08.19 8:06am
Whilst you’re correct this is most useful on phones without a good compass, AFAIK ARCore and ARKit both require a good compass for support, and this runs using ARCore. So if your compass is too bad for on the map, it’s probably not good enough.
That said, this is useful in places like cities where GPS is inaccurate as it may be able to localise you quicker than GPS.
By Indefinite Implosion on 08.08.19 8:23am
It’s much easier to orient yourself somewhere totally unfamiliar with this than just a map and arrow (ignoring the fact that some people are just bad at reading maps).
When you actually use this, the camera is active with this AR mode running barely any of the time; it’s for turns and direction orientation, with it being disabled when you’re actually walking (if you hold your phone up it tells you to put it down).
By Indefinite Implosion on 08.08.19 8:19am
In a dense city like New York you pop out of the subway and have no idea which way to turn or go. GPS is wonky because of tall buildings. I used this on my Note 8 a few times and it magically pops up and tells you which way to walk. Just for that first orientation alone it’s worth it’s weight. In less dense areas with accurate GPS that locks quickly not so useful.
By themobiledivide on 08.08.19 9:18am
i moved to a new city a couple of months ago and this feature on my pixel has been phenomenal as I easily get turned around with walking directions on google maps.
By thisismyusername12334 on 08.08.19 8:37am
I used this in Rome a few weeks ago, and this was practically magic. Just point it at a corner, and it (usually) can work out exactly where you are and which identical looking ancient street to walk down.
(Of course, I’ll hate this when a million other people are staring at their phones and bumbling into people, but that’s life.)
By obtainable on 08.08.19 8:49am
Man the thought of having this on AR glasses gets me so excited. One of these companies needs to make this happen!
By A Cup of Coffee on 08.08.19 12:18pm
Nice little feature but no way it’s taking over for passive prompts for this same purpose from my watch.
By web0rama on 08.08.19 3:18pm
…making it that much easier for someone to steal your phone.
By JohnnyMnemonic on 08.08.19 5:13pm
iOS Fans probably won’t admit this is a cool feature from Google.
By MustiUnofficial on 08.09.19 9:23pm
Why are you worried about that?
By tomflack on 08.11.19 6:15am