14 DAY TRIAL // Google announced today that it implemented new features to its popular Google Maps app on the Android and iOS mobile platforms to help you with your daily commute and better enjoy the ride from home to work and vice versa.
Google Maps already features Public Transport and Driving tabs, but with the latest update that will soon be available in the iOS App Store and on the Google Play Store for Android users, a new Commute tab will be available to help users take control of their daily commute.
The new Commute feature combines the functionality of Public Transport and Driving tabs into a single one that enables you to plan ahead your daily commute to avoid inevitable disruptions like heavy traffic, accidents, or delayed/canceled trains on your route to work and back home.
"We’ll tell you if your commute is going to be a normal one or if you’ll need to budget extra time due to things like an accident or heavy traffic. In the case of a delay, we’ll tell you about alternative routes to help you get to work faster," said Ramesh Nagarajan, Group Product Manager, Google Maps.
The Commute tab supports mixed-mode commutes so you know when the next train departs, how much traffic there is on your drive, as well as how long it takes to walk from the subway station to your office. Some of these features were already available on Google Maps, but now they're combined into a single, automatic one.
Best of all, Google Maps will now show you where exactly the next bus or train is on the map, in real time. This feature is available in 80 regions across the globe, and should be extended for more regions in the coming months. Also, in Sydney, Australia, commuters will even see how full the next bus or train is.
This will also be available to more cities worldwide soon. For Android users, the latest Google Maps update will also notify users in real time if something changes on their routes, such as unexpected delays and disruptions so that they won't get caught up in the traffic and make it home or work as soon as possible.
Google Play Music, Spotify, and Apple Music integration
Apart from the new "Commute" tab, which we bet it will help a lot of transit riders worldwide to get to the office and return back home faster, the new Google Maps update for Android and iOS is adding integration with some of the most popular music streaming platforms, including Google Play Music, Spotify, and Apple Music.
Android and iOS users using the Google Maps apps should expect the new Commute feature and Google Play Music, Apple Music, and Spotify integration this week. While iOS users can install the latest Google Maps update from the App Store, Android users can visit the Google Play store app on their devices for the newest version.
