Google introduced a model new Google Maps widget that can supply customers real-time site visitors details about their present location. The function ought to make it even simpler to handle your navigation, providing fast details about the site visitors circumstances round your location. But the brand new real-time site visitors data widget has some downsides. For starters, it solely works on Android in the meanwhile. Secondly, the widget would require everlasting entry to location data.
Google listed 5 of its favourite Android widget options in a weblog publish earlier this week, with the brand new Google Maps widget topping the listing.
The widget can be out there on Android mechanically, with out customers having to do something to allow the performance. Just add the Google Maps real-time site visitors prediction widget to one of many screens in your Android cellphone as soon as it turns into out there within the coming weeks. You might want to have Google Maps put in, in fact.
Once that’s performed, the widget ought to work, so long as you’ve gotten an web connection. Google explains.
Whether you’re commuting or heading out to satisfy buddies, Google Maps’ real-time site visitors predictions may help you simply plan your route. And with the brand new close by site visitors widget, launching within the coming weeks, you’ll see this data to your present location proper out of your Android Home display screen.
Unlike most iPhone widgets, Android widgets will be interactive. Therefore, you’ll have the ability to zoom out and in proper contained in the widget. This will provide help to get a greater concept of what Google Maps site visitors appears like round you.
The new Google Maps is proscribed to Android, however Google may convey it to iPhone sooner or later. After all, Google has all the time strived to supply iPhone customers an similar Maps expertise to the Android app.
However, there may be two issues with the widget that may complicate iOS performance. For starters, iOS widgets aren’t interactive. You won’t have the ability to zoom out and in of stay site visitors when utilizing the widget.
Then there’s the privateness angle. For a Google Maps widget to supply location-based data at any time, you want to let the app entry your location even while you’re not utilizing the app. That’s hypothesis, nevertheless, as Google doesn’t deal with privateness issues for this Google Maps performance.
Google’s clarification above makes it clear that it provides details about your present location. The solely approach to try this is to entry location knowledge within the background.
It’s unclear how the widget would work on gadgets that solely enable Google Maps to entry location knowledge whereas the consumer accesses the app. That may be the case with some iPhone customers trying to stop Google Maps from monitoring them. Again, that’s simply hypothesis, as Google talked about no particulars a couple of related Google Maps widget performance for the iPhone.
