Skip to main content

Hit the road: Google is officially ending support for Trips on August 5

Google Trips has long been a great way to plan a trip and do research for things to do in your destination, but unfortunately, the app looks to be on the way out. Google has announced that it will be shutting down Google Trips, and is encouraging users to instead look for the features in Google Trips in other apps.

It’s not all that surprising that Google would shut down Google Trips, especially considering the fact that the company recently launched another travel service at google.com/travel. Not only that, but the company has also been updating Google Maps with great travel and discovery features, so users will be able to turn to Maps to find things to do. Still, having to use the Trips website isn’t the same as using a native app, so hopefully Google will release an app for the new Trips website at some point in the near future.

Google has announced August 5 as the official date for the shutdown of Trips, noting that until then you’ll still be able to access trip reservations and notes as you normally would. Between now and then, however, it’s worth finding another app and making sure there’s no important data in the app that you don’t want to lose. That said, Google says that the notes from Google Trips will be available at google.com/travel, and that you’ll be able to find your saved attractions, flights, and hotels in Search. You’ll also be able to find saved locations in Maps by heading to the menu and tapping the “Your Places” button, then tapping “Saved.”

Of course, there are plenty of other travel services out there that can help you plan trips and travel. Apps like Kayak, Hipmunk, and Packpoint can all be helpful in planning a trip — and are all featured in our guide of the best travel apps. Perhaps the most similar app to Google Trips is Kayak, which allows users to book flights, hotels, and more.

We’ll have to wait and see if the new Trips web service ends up getting another app, but considering the fact that Google wants to build out Trips’ features into other Google services, we’re betting that there won’t be one.

Editors' Recommendations

Christian de Looper
Christian’s interest in technology began as a child in Australia, when he stumbled upon a computer at a garage sale that he…
Google Pixel 6 can now tap into Verizon’s faster C-Band 5G
Google Pixel 6 in its green color option.

Verizon has finally flicked the switch that allows the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro to latch on to its C-Band 5G network. In January this year, Verizon and AT&T began the deployment of their respective 5G networks on the C-Band spectrum. However, the Pixel 6 series phones haven’t yet been able to take advantage of the faster C-Band 5G airwaves.

That’s because both the phones come equipped with the necessary networking hardware to support the C-Band spectrum, but they hadn’t received an official certification yet. Verizon’s George Koroneos has now shared on Twitter that both the phones have passed the certification hurdle. And starting today, the carrier has started rolling out a firmware update for the Pixel 6 duo that enables C-Band 5G support on Google’s flagships.
Faster and more feature-rich
The software update (version SP2A.220305.013.A3) arrives with the delayed March security patch for the Pixel 6 series phones in tow. The update also brings some new Pixel features to the Pixel 6 pair such as Night Sight in the Snap camera, Live Relay for captioning calls in real time, and a battery information widget, among others. For more details, check out the complete changelog for Pixel 6's March feature drop. Keep in mind that the C-Band 5G network will only be available to customers on an Unlimited plan with 5G Ultra Wideband in the list of perks.

Read more
Google’s Digital Wellbeing widget hits Android devices soon
Google Pixel 6 Pro clock widgets. Credits: Google official.

A Digital Wellbeing widget will soon arrive to Android devices to help users keep a track of screen time and how much time they spend on Google apps. While the exact release date is currently unknown, it is expected that this widget will eventually be released to all Android devices. Notably, this is a feature that's already available for iPhone users since iOS 12, so Google is very late to the party by comparison.  
As per 9to5Google, Digital Wellbeing will soon get this widget. A teardown of the APK file that Google uploaded to the Play Store revealed that the version 1.0.416751293.beta supported the Digital Wellbeing widget.
Google's Digital Wellbeing app received a widget that manages time spent on apps. Andy Boxall/Digital Trends
Google's more recent widget additions have been appreciated for their usefulness. The Google Photos widget enabled users to decorate their home screens with photos of their closest companions and favorite shots. Meanwhile, YouTube Music also introduced a "recently played" widget for Android 12 users that was available in three size options depending on the home screen layout. The widget provides quick access to played videos, playlists, albums, and more.The screen time checking feature is especially useful to those who suffer from bedtime procrastination and internet addiction. Apps like Instagram have a feature for checking the average amount of time spent on the app in the past week, with an option for setting daily reminders that appear once users reach their time limit, so the fact that Google hasn't had one up till now has been a pretty big omission.

Read more
Calls for Google Fi users on Android are now end-to-end encrypted
google fi call encryption android users end to jpg on

Google Fi is getting a nice security and privacy boost today, as the rollout of end-to-end encryption for Google’s mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) officially begins. The search giant announced the new initiative in late October, but at the time only said that it would be bringing end-to-end encryption to Android users in the coming weeks. Today, Google finally turned the key, revealing on Twitter it was now automatically securing all Fi calls on Android devices with end-to-end encryption.

End-to-end encryption means that your phone calls on Google Fi will be secure and private from the moment they leave your smartphone to the time that they arrive at the other end. Best of all, there’s nothing you need to do to turn it on — if you’re a Google Fi user on an Android device, it just works automatically in the background. Google Fi will let you know right away when your calls are eligible for end-to-end encryption with a unique ringing tone as soon you place the call. Once the other party answers, you should both see a lock symbol to confirm end-to-end encryption is in place. 

Read more