Skip to main content

Never run for the bus again with Google Maps’ real-time commute update

It’s not enough to know where you’re going — you want to know how to get there in the most efficient manner possible. Luckily, Google understands this, and has just released an update to Google Maps on Android that promises “helpful everyday info — in real time — at the bottom of your home screen.”

Starting today, if you swipe up, you’ll be greeted with three distinct tabs — places, driving, and transit — that will guide you to a conveniently located restaurant, help you beat traffic, or get on the next bus downtown.

Recommended Videos

If you tap on the Places tab within Google Maps, you’ll find a curated list of restaurants and bars that will be conveniently labeled with categories like “best dinners,” “cheap eats,” or “business dining.” If you’re looking for something else, like a grocery store, a gas station, or a bank, just tap on one of the other options Google has already pre-populated. You can look at images of your surrounding area, or alternatively, read a quick description of the neighborhood to understand what you’re dealing with.

In the driving tab, as long as you have your home and work addresses saved, you can check out real-time transit times to and from those locations. That way, you’re never wondering if you ought to give yourself an extra 20 minutes in the morning, or leave a little later at night to avoid rush hour. Just get your nearby traffic conditions report and expected delays straight from Google Maps.

And finally, Google’s transit tab promises that “you’ll never have to sprint to the bus again.” From your saved addresses, you’ll be able to garner recommendations for which public transit system to take, when the next bus or train is arriving, and an ETA you can share with friends and family.

“When you’re on the go, there’s no time for apps that can’t keep up,” Google concluded. “Whether you need to get to work or you’re just looking for a quick bite around you, Google Maps gives you personalized information about your world so you can make decisions and get around with confidence.”

Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Google AI will turn your fashion ideas into a real sample for shopping
Google Shopping matches AI images with real prsssoduct.

AI has been a part of the Google Shopping experience for a while now. In October last year, Google started showing an AI-generated brief with suggestions about the products users are looking for, alongside tailored product listings.

A month prior to that, the Shopping tab added an AI-powered virtual try-on experience featuring various body shapes to show the right size fitting. Now, Google is giving it another AI-fueled update that involves literally turning your fashion ideas into a digital garment, one that will be used to find similar pieces of real clothing items.
How AI will reinvent shopping
Let’s say you are on the hunt for ”pink socks with blue flowers and red polka dots.” Entering that query may not necessarily find you real products matching that description, as that would depend on whether a seller of such items has labelled their products and images accordingly to match your description.

Read more
I put Google Gemini on my iPhone. Here’s why I’ll never go back to Siri
Siri in background and Gemini widgets on Lock Screen.

The AI frenzy has gripped every smartphone maker in 2025. Unfortunately, not all of it has been as revolutionary as on-stage presentations would have you believe. A few, however, have done a fantastic job with executing practical AI features.

Google is one of those names, and it continues to do so even on iPhones — at the cost of making Siri look like an outdated relic. The latest build of Google’s Gemini app for iPhones puts the AI chatbot everywhere on Apple’s smartphones, from the lock screen to the share sheet.

Read more
It’s now easier to get personal details removed or updated in Google Search
Button to request data removal from Google Search

In 2022, Google released a tool called Results About You that allowed users to request removal of personal information from Search results. Today, the company has announced that it is adding updated controls that will make the process even easier for getting certain details erased or have outdated information replaced with fresh one.

“Our new hub makes signing up easier than ever, and with proactive monitoring, we’ll do the hard work for you – alerting you if new results are found,” says the company. The more notable change is the ease at requesting changes to personal information that appears in Google Search results.

Read more