Google is doubling down on AI as it gears up for the 2025 travel season, launching a new wave of intelligent features designed to simplify and streamline summer trip planning. Announced via its official blog, the updates tap into AI Overviews, Gemini, and on-device intelligence to deliver personalised recommendations, real-time savings alerts, and smarter organisation across Search, Maps, Lens and Gemini.

Here’s a breakdown of the most notable additions:

1. AI Overviews in Search Now Build End-to-End Itineraries

Google Search now goes beyond static results, using generative AI to create day-by-day itineraries for your next getaway. Previously limited to major cities, AI Overviews can now generate travel plans for entire countries or regions. For example, a query like “create an itinerary for Costa Rica with a focus on nature” returns a structured plan complete with dining spots, activities, user reviews, photos, and an interactive map.

Users can export this info into Google Docs or Gmail, or save it as a custom list in Google Maps. The feature is available in English in the U.S. on mobile and desktop, no Search Labs opt-in required.

2. Hotel Price Tracking Arrives in Google Travel

Following the success of Google Flights’ fare alerts, the company is bringing a similar experience to hotel search. Now live globally on mobile and desktop browsers, users browsing google.com/hotels can toggle on price tracking for specific dates and destinations.

The system uses your selected filters — like star ratings or map boundaries — to send notifications if prices drop significantly, making it easier to book at the right moment.

3. Smart Screenshot Integration in Google Maps (Rolling Out on iOS)

A common but chaotic part of travel planning is capturing inspiration through screenshots — social posts, blogs, itineraries, etc. Now, Google Maps integrates those screenshots into your trip planning workflow using Gemini-powered intelligence.

Currently rolling out to iOS users this week in the U.S., the new “screenshot” list feature can identify locations in your captured images and suggest adding them to a saved list within Maps. These locations are automatically plotted on the map and can be shared collaboratively with travel companions. Support for Android is coming soon.

4. Gemini and Gems: Your Personalised AI Trip Planner

Gemini, Google’s AI assistant, now plays a central role in travel ideation. Whether you’re looking for cheap flights or video guides on travelling Europe on a budget, Gemini can contextualise and curate results across Search, YouTube and more.

Users can also customise Gemini with “Gems” — AI agents trained to handle specific tasks. One example is creating a dedicated travel planner Gem to suggest packing lists, surface dining recommendations, and even recommend cities to visit. Gems are now free for all users and can be built via the desktop Gems manager.

5. Google Lens Becomes an AI Tour Guide

Lens now acts as an on-the-ground AI companion. By simply pointing your camera at a landmark or object and asking a question — e.g., “what are these used for?” — users get AI Overviews packed with historical and contextual information, plus links for further reading.

The feature is currently available in English, with support expanding soon to seven additional languages including Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish. Lens continues to support real-time visual translation, transforming signs, menus, and flyers on the fly with the translate filter.

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Google has now reportedly updated Maps with a new version for the Android operating system. This brings the Live Navigation and Live Activities features on Galaxy smartphone devices running on the One UI 7 custom skin with the help of Now Bar.

Read more about it below.

Google Maps Updated – Brings Live Navigation and Live Activities on One UI 7

Samsung with its latest Android 15 based One UI 7 custom skin brought out a feature called ‘Now Bar’, which shows ongoing activities as well as other relevant information on the lock screen, and now, Google has updated Maps with version ‘25.05.01.719889437’, making it compatible with this new feature.

Speaking more, with the latest version of Google Maps that has been integrated with Samsung’s Now Bar, Galaxy smartphones running on One UI 7 is revealed to display live navigation and live notifications. Moreover, a progress bar is also said to be displayed with details concerning the current transit navigation and estimated time of arrival (ETA).

Apart from Google Maps, Now Bar also works with many other applications from both Samsung and Google (only a few). This includes Bixby, Clock, Emergency Sharing, Interpreter, Samsung Health, Samsung Notes, Voice Recorder, and Google Sports Score. On Samsung smartphones which support always-on display (AOD mode), Now Bar can also be displayed on the AOD screen. This means, even if the device is in sleep, tracking the progress of ongoing activities is possible. By double tapping the buttons, users will also be able to click on them while AOD display is turned on.

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Very recently, we had shared how Google had introduced a new ‘Police’ tag on Google Maps swapping the previous ‘Speed Trap’ alert, along with many new incident flags. Just like any of the other Google Maps features, these are also really helpful to users across the platform and with the information one provides, others can benefit from it.

On a similar note, while visiting a shop, a restaurant, or a hotel, one of the main things everyone would check is the review of the place on Google/Google Maps. But what if these reviews are not true and are fabricated? No one would know and users may end up in a difficult situation.

To bring an end to this, Google Maps seems to have added a new ‘Report Business Conduct’ form that will allow users to report any review manipulation that they find going on in a business. Read more about it below.

‘Report Business Conduct’ Form Introduced in Google Maps

Have you ever been to a place where in return for Google reviews the owners or the concerned party offered incentives or benefits in exchange? Or have you been in a difficult position when you were forced to give a dishonest review about a place you didn’t actually like or enjoy. Almost all of you might have gone through any of these and Google is trying to put an end to this with the new ‘Report Business Conduct’ form on Google Maps.

This was first spotted by an X user (@haseshout) and is believed to have been added to Google Maps just a couple of weeks before. On the form, one would be able to report the business where review manipulation is happening either by offering free goodies or by exerting pressure for leaving reviews. Users can add the Google Maps URLs of the place, enter their email ID, and select the reason why they are reporting the business.

Following the submission of the form, Google will take the matters into its hands and will review whether the business has violated the brand’s policies or not, and the necessary actions will be taken thereafter.

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Among Google’s multiple services and apps, Google Maps provides users with many exciting and interesting features. Of all the many features on Google Maps, the ‘Speed Trap’ alert was a fan-favorite feature for many users. Now, as per a new change, Google has changed the ‘Speed Trap’ alert to a ‘Police’ tag. Along with this, many more incident flags have been introduced as well.

Google Maps – Police Tag and More Incident Flags

One of the key highlights of Google Maps as we all know is the option and feature that lets users report incidents and keep everyone updated in real time. Minor road blocks to major road accidents can be called out in such a way, warning other users. ‘Speed Trap’ alert, as mentioned, has been a favorite feature for many and it lets people warn and get warned about sneaky policemen.

However, even if the ‘Speed Trap’ alert was good for informing others of hidden policemen, it did not always fit the right situation. There were times when people had to show policemen in road directing traffic or holding a road stop, and they weren’t able to find a right tag and had to choose ‘Speed Trap’ unnecessarily. With the new ‘Police’ tag, this has been resolved.

Apart from the new ‘Police’ tag, Google has also introduced tags for ‘Construction’, ‘Lane Closure’, ‘Stalled Vehicle’, ‘Object on Road’, and more, enabling users to cover and inform many other things. To add, more tags will also be offered later as per reported.

Speaking more, these features were hinted back in July 2024, and changes are now being noticed. As of now, it is not sure when these will arrive on Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but users can make it work with the help of Google Maps app on their mobile devices.

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Ever wished you could easily find cool stops during your road trip without spending hours researching? Google Maps’ new “Explore along your route” feature might be just what you’ve been looking for.

Think of it as your personal road trip companion that points out interesting places while you’re mapping out your journey. Whether you’re craving a local lunch spot or need a scenic break to stretch your legs, the feature highlights top-rated stops right on your route.

Here’s the simple way to use it:

First, pull up the Google Maps app on your phone and punch in where you’re headed. After tapping “Directions,” hit “Add stops” – that’s when the magic happens. You’ll see pins pop up all over your route showing restaurants and interesting spots you might want to check out.

Not a fan of hunting through map pins? No problem. Just swipe up from the bottom of your screen, and you’ll find all the suggestions neatly organized by category. Restaurants, points of interest, fast food – they’re all there for easy browsing.

When something catches your eye, tap to learn more about it. Like what you see? One more tap adds it to your trip, and you’re ready to roll.

It’s that straightforward – no more jumping between different apps or websites to plan your perfect road trip stops. Just pick your destination, explore what’s along the way, and hit the road.

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Back in August, Google introduced some new features for Maps like easily reporting incidents on maps, new camera alerts, and new guidance, to enhance user experience. Today the company has officially announced some new updates for Google Maps that are said to give answers to the complex questions of users.

With new updates in @GoogleMaps, you can:

– Ask Maps for inspiration curated with Gemini
– Take the stress out of each step of your drive
– Explore more places, including college campuses, with Immersive View’s biggest expansion yet

And more ↓ https://t.co/Dai74c73sM

— Google (@Google) October 31, 2024

Google Maps: New Updates

Get Ideas Curated With Gemini

Just ask Maps for “things to do with friends at night” to get ideas curated with Gemini — like checking out a speakeasy or live music. Find out what people like about a place by reading the helpful review summarized with Gemini. Gemini’s powerful creation, reasoning and summarization capabilities will now be made available.

These features start rolling out in the U.S. on Android and iOS this week. Similar experiences in the coming months on Search — including AI-powered review summaries and the option to ask detailed questions about places are said to be introduced.

Enhanced Navigation

You’ll see top landmarks, attractions, scenic spots, and dining options to help you plan the perfect drive. Enhanced navigation will show you lanes, crosswalks, and road signs clearly on the map. You’ll now also be able to see and report weather disruptions along your route — including flooded, unplowed, and low-visibility roads. This feature will help a lot of users during the winter season.

In addition to lighting up your building and entrance, you will see nearby parking lots and remind you to save your parking so you don’t forget. Once you’re parked, you can get walking directions from your car to the entrance — and even enter Street View or AR walking navigation so you can orient yourself quickly. Enhanced navigation starts rolling out next month on Android and iOS in over 30 metro areas — with plans to expand to more places over time.

Immersive View Update

With Immersive View, you can experience what stadiums, parks, and routes look like using AI, imagery, and computer vision — and even see what the weather and traffic conditions will be like on the day and time you’re planning to visit. Starting this week, Immersive View for Places will expand to 150 cities globally, including in places like Brussels, Kyoto, and Frankfurt. And we continue to add new categories of places to Immersive View, like college campuses — a great way to take your very own campus tour!

Immersive View for routes is also getting new details. Now, Google will tell you where to park and highlight if you encounter things like a complex turn along your route so you can be prepared. This update starts rolling out this week on Android and iOS wherever Immersive View for routes is available.

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Google has recently rolled out some new features powered by AI and local partners for Google Maps in order to improve the user experience. These features helped the users become aware of flyovers, narrow lanes, EV charging stations, and also about the best places to visit in a particular city.

As per a recent blog post by Google, again some new features are introduced for Google Maps and also for the Waze app like easily reporting incidents on maps, new camera alerts, and much more. Let’s dive in to know in detail about these features.

New Features For Google Maps And Maze

More Easily Report Incidents In Maps To Help Your Community

To help keep your fellow drivers informed on the road, Maps is making it easier to report incidents and helpful information like nearby construction, lane closures, objects, and police presence- these reports come from the Maps and Waze communities and you can even see which app a report came from. You will see larger reporting icons that are easier to tap while other drivers can then confirm the incident.

This feature is rolling out globally now on Android and iOS, cars with Google built-in, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.

New Guidance in Maps

When you are driving to a particular place, Maps’ new destination guidance will automatically light up the building you want to go in and its entrance as you approach it, in addition to showing you nearby parking lots. This feature starts rolling out globally on Android and iOS, cars with Google built-in, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in the coming weeks.

New Camera Alerts in Waze

Some cities around the world are adding cameras to enforce things like speed limits or carpool lanes. To help you be more aware during your drive and comply with local laws, we’re adding the ability to see new camera types on Waze.  For example, you’ll now see an alert if you’re approaching a camera that snaps pictures for things like speeding, running a red light, using the wrong lane (like bus, HOV, or carpool), not wearing a seatbelt, or using phones while driving. New camera types on Waze are rolling out globally on Android and iOS.

Share real-time traffic information with friends in Waze

With Waze’s new traffic events feature, you will get a notification if any event has started around the area of your destination, road closure details, and real-time traffic conditions. You can also share these details with your friends and family to keep them informed. This feature is rolling out globally on Android and iOS.

Navigate while your screen is locked with Waze

Waze drivers now get navigation guidance- like turn-by-turn directions, real-time traffic updates, or hazard alerts- all while their phones remain securely locked. This feature will launch on Android this month and will come to iOS this fall.

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Five years back Google introduced Speedometer and Speed Limit tools in Google Maps for Android users and now after five years these tools are finally being introduced for iOS users. This feature was first spotted by Techcrunch in India and later Google confirmed to the publication that the company is rolling out speedometer and speed limits in Google Maps on iOS and CarPlay globally.

When you enable the speed limits feature it will change colors on the speed indicator to nudge you to drive within the speed limit set in your region. The addition of the speedometer in your navigation shows you how fast you’re driving on the road. However, as per Google, speedometers shown in the Google Maps are for informational use only and users are advised to use their vehicle’s speedometer to confirm their actual driving speed.

You can turn on the speedometer and speed limits by tapping your profile picture on Google Maps> Go to Settings> Navigation> Driving options. It might take a few weeks for the rollout to be completed, hence the users are advised to be patient regarding the visibility of these features.

Stay tuned with The Tech Outlook to get more latest tech updates.

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Google Maps has undoubtedly been a huge help to all of us and someone would barely forget using it on unknown routes.  This app has some new updates that would make locating an electric vehicle charging station less stressful than ever before. And for such useful updates, the app has taken the help of AI.

Let’s get to know about these updates

Find the exact location of the charging station

Users will very soon be able to locate the exact location of the charging station through AI-generated summaries in Google Maps. These summaries will be based on helpful information from user reviews. For example “Enter the underground parking lot and follow the signs toward the exit. Just before exiting, turn right.”

To make this even more helpful Google says it will prompt you for additional details about your experience that will include what type of plug you used and how long you waited.

Low on charge, find the best charger with Google Maps

In case you are low on charge and need to charge your EV as soon as possible, quick useful information about the location of the charger would be very useful. And Google Maps will soon allow users to see nearby chargers on Map with information like real-time port availability, and charging speed. Someone whose’ EV is low on power and wants to charge his EV as soon as possible would prefer going to the charger where the charging speed is fast and is closest enough to reach.

Multi-stop trips get easy with the best charging location suggestions

Google Maps is suggesting the best charging location since last year but in your multi-stop route, it’s a new thing. It will soon be suggesting the best charging stops along your multi-stop route based on your battery charge level. The app will also let you find hotels that offer onsite EV charging thus making your travel more convenient than ever before. Google has yet not rolled out these features and it will be rolling out these in coming months for vehicles with Google built in.

The post These Google Maps AI Powered Featured Will Soon Let You Find EV Chargers Anywhere On Your Route appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Google is adding more features to Google Chrome in iOS to get a better Google experience on the iPhone and the iPad. Chrome Action was a recently added feature. On top of that, four more updates are coming to Chrome on iOS.

Seeing an address on the map, easily creating calendar events, getting better translations, and searching with your camera are the new four features that are coming to Google Chrome on iOS.

See an address on the map

When you see an address on Chrome on iOS, Chrome now uses AI to detect addresses on webpages and when you press and hold a detected address, you’ll see the option to view it on a mini–Google Maps right within Chrome. With this feature coming, you’ll no longer be worried about switching apps for specific needs.

Easily create calendar events

Just like the mini-Google Map feature, now iOS users can create Google Calendar events directly in Chrome without having to switch apps or copy the information over manually. Press and hold on a detected date and select the option to add it to your Google Calendar. Chrome will also automatically create and populate the calendar event with important details like time, location, and description.

Get better translations

Google offers that the AI models of their Google Chrome have improved and that they have got better at detecting a webpage’s language and suggesting translations. If you meet with a foreign destination’s website which is not in a language of your knowledge, Google Chrome will automatically offer to translate the website into your preferred language.

Users can also now translate a specific portion of a page using Google Translate right within Google Chrome on their iOS device.

Search with your camera

The Google Lens in Chrome on iOS functions as you long-press an image you find while browsing. Identifying plants, getting homework help and real-time translations of languages are possible with Google Lens by searching the images.

With the new feature, users will be able to use the camera to search for the new pictures taken and the existing images that are already taken on the device. The Google Lens icon will be in Chrome on the iOS address bar.

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