Skip to main content

Google Maps is adding new shopping tools for the holiday season

Google has announced several new features in Google Maps to keep you sane this holiday season by helping you avoid crowds, find your way around the malls, and even get your holiday dinner shopping done.

First off, Google is expanding its crowdedness data features for public transit and specific stores into a broader tool that it’s calling “Area Busyness.” This will show you how many folks are gathering in a specific neighborhood, rather than an individual store. As Google explains, you can use this information however you like, whether you want to steer clear of the crowds or seek out the hottest spots in town.

Google Maps Area Busyness.
Google

Google is also expanding its Directory tab globally, so you’ll be able to get detailed information on what’sgoing on inside many more airports, malls, and transit stations around the world. This includes what types of stores are in a given building, including their locations and hours of operation, along with the availability of car rental services, airport lounges, parking lots, and more.

For folks in the U.S. planning their holiday feast, Google Maps is also expanding its grocery store pickup service to over 2,000 Kroger, Fry’s, Ralphs, and Mariano’s stores across 30 states. You’ll be able to place your order online, track its status, share your ETA, and let the store know you’ve arrived — all without ever leaving Google Maps. The search giant also says that people who use the Google Maps grocery pickup service typically wait less than five minutes to fetch their groceries.

Google Maps Grocery Pickup.

If a night out on the town is more your style, Google Maps also has you covered here, with expanded details in the reviews for U.S. dining spots. Restaurants and cafes will begin showing price ranges, so you can easily find a location to fit your budget. Google is also making it easier for other visitors to share details like availability of outdoor seating, delivery options, and curbside pickup.

Starting today, the global directory tab and grocery pickup services are available on Google Maps for Android and iOS. Expanded restaurant reviews and Area Busyness will be rolling out over the next few weeks, just in time for the holiday season.

Editors' Recommendations

Jesse Hollington
Jesse has been a technology enthusiast for his entire life — he probably would have been born with an iPhone in his hand…
iOS 17’s coolest new feature is horrible news for Android users
iOS 17 contact posters

At the end of 2022, Google implored Apple to “get the message” and end the green-versus-blue bubble controversy by adopting RCS messaging. Apple’s response eventually came at WWDC 2023, where it introduced a new iOS 17 feature called Contact Posters, which instead of bringing everyone together, only furthers the us-versus-them split between Android and iOS.

If you thought the green/blue iMessage arguments could get fiery, there’s a lot more to come.
Blue good, green bad

Read more
Apple is adding a brand new app to your iPhone with iOS 17
Journal app for iOS 17.

Apple is adding a new first-party app called Journal with the introduction of iOS 17, the company announced today during WWDC 2023. Journal is, as its name simply states, a new place for iPhone users to keep track of their daily activities, log their emotional health, and jot down anything else that they want to write about.

Apple has continued to lean into its first-party health and wellness iOS apps with things like Fitness, Sleep, and Breathe, and now Journal will be joining their ranks as the company's first attempt at an app that focuses on mental well-being.

Read more
Your iPhone could steal this Pixel Tablet feature when it gets iOS 17
iPhone 14 Pro with always on display no wallpaper or notifications

With iOS 17 coming in hot for its expected June reveal during Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference, iPhone owners are anxious to hear about any big features coming with the update. According to Bloomberg, a major change is coming in the form of a complete interface overhaul for locked devices that effectively turns your iPhone into a smart display.

The new interface will supposedly display a plethora of information like the weather, push notifications, upcoming significant calendar dates, and more. Per the report, this new interface displays automatically when your iPhone is locked and laying horizontally with its screen facing up.

Read more