Google Maps is bringing a few new features this month, just in time for the holiday craziness. They are introducing a new Area Busyness feature, expanding the Pickup with Google Maps feature, as well as displaying price ranges for dining spots based on contributions from other Google Maps users.
As detailed, the Area Busyness feature will literally show you when a certain area in a supported city is busy or not. This can help you plan your trip and could also lead you to know what to expect with regards to parking. Additionally, you can tap on a neighborhood to see how busy it is at different times of day, “along with the restaurants, shops, and recreational places (like a museum) within it, so you can decide if you want to visit,” says Google.
For Pickup with Google Maps, Google is simply expanding this existing feature to now over 2,000 Krogers Family locations, which includes Fry’s, Ralphs, and Marianos. With the feature, once an order is placed with the retailer, Pickup with Google Maps lets you track your order status, share your ETA, and let the store know you’ve arrived. It’s handy dandy, for sure.
Lastly, Maps will now display price ranges for individuals on restaurant pages based on information collected from other Google Maps users. On top of that, Google says, “We’re also rolling out a simpler way to provide more detailed reviews about places, like whether or not a restaurant or cafe has things like outdoor seating, delivery options, curbside pickup and any features that customers should be aware of.”
A whole bunch of good stuff!