Skip to main content

Google Maps has just released an updated home page for its users in India

Google Maps users in India are getting some special treatment, and it all begins this week. As per a new blog post from the tech giant, Google Maps is rolling out a new home screen “specifically designed for people in India” for Android. That means that the directionally challenged in India (or anyone who just wants a bit of assurance in getting from Point A to Point B) will now see a few new shortcuts on their Google Maps home screen once they update their app. Moreover, Google says that it’s making sure that this new home screen loads quickly so that folks in India can find their way around, even if their connections occasionally get lost.

“Now when you fire up your Google Maps app, you’ll instantly see a directions card with different modes of transportation,” wrote Cathay Bi, Product Manager Google Maps. “Whether you’d like to take the bus to Connaught Place in New Delhi or you are planning to go by foot to a new mall that just opened nearby, you can start planning your route with a single tap. And if you’d like to access a certain route while you’re on the go without using data, you can save the route to be used offline.”

Recommended Videos

Also included in the Google Maps India revamp are a number of icons that draw users’ attention to other useful features, like satellite imagery of destinations, real-time information about traffic, and details about public transportation lines. Moreover, Google has made it possible for users in India to save a specific area of a map for use offline.

“We hope this new home screen provides a much more intuitive and faster experience for people in India,” Bi concluded. “The Maps team will continue to evolve our products to make them useful no matter where you go or what you do, especially for the millions of people coming online for the first time.”

Lulu Chang
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Google just announced 10 huge updates for your Android phone
The Home Screen on the Google Pixel 8 Pro.

Google I/O, the annual everything-Google-software fest, has kicked off. As usual, Android takes center stage. From enhanced privacy and Google Wallet upgrades to theft detection and app safety checkups, there’s a lot to look forward to here.

From Android 15 features to more general Android updates, here’s a breakdown of all the major Android announcements from I/O 2024.
Making life easier with Google Wallet

Read more
Google just released the first Android 15 beta. Here’s what’s new
The Android 15 logo on a smartphone.

Google has just released the first public beta build of Android 15, marking an end to the developer-focused test phase. The beta version’s release also means that Android 15 is finally in a state where it can be tried by the masses without people having to worry about too many bugs leaving their phone in a sorry state.

The first beta version of Android 15 doesn’t introduce a ton of new features, as most of the notable additions have already appeared in the Developer Preview builds. Google’s blog post, however, mentions the following features as the key highlights

Read more
Google just announced 8 big Android updates. Here’s what’s new
A photo of many Android figurines on a white wall.

At Moblie World Congress (MWC ) 2024, Google is bringing a healthy bunch of new features to Android. In line with the AI push all across the industry, some notable AI-driven enhancements are on the table. There are also a handful of core Android features that sound practically amazing.
The first in line is Gemini. The generative AI chatbot recently got a standalone app for Android, and now it’s headed for the Google Messages app. Users can chat with Gemini directly in the messaging app and use its generative capabilities for a host of things, like drafting replies, refining a message, and more.

Another feature that was showcased a while ago is finally ready for prime time. Android Auto is gaining support for message summarization for standalone texts and group chats, and it can also suggest replies. With a single tap, users will also be able to drop a message, start a call, and share an estimated arrival time. The idea is to deploy AI for crucial tasks so that it can minimize distractions while driving.
Lookout, an accessibility-centric feature for users with vision challenges, is also getting meaningful AI love. On Android phones, Lookout will now read AI-generated captions and descriptions for media content. For now, the AI boost to Lookout and Messages is limited to the English language.

Read more