Google Maps equipped with new AR capabilities

This week, Google in a blog post states that it will launch the long-awaited married to its Google Maps app and implement in it navigation views created using refined reality (AR) and various new search functions.

Let’s remember, refined reality (AR) is today the most widespread form of augmented reality (XR). As the name suggests, refined reality is a technology that serves to refine reality. Unlike virtual reality (VR), AR takes the real world and inserts digitally created content into it. AR applications insert virtual visual and other information into the real world to advance it, whether it’s aesthetically or otherwise.

Google Live View has been around for several years and now we are finally witnessing its development. With Live View, users will now be able to get more information on their mobile screen as they watch locations refined using AR. Previously, Live View allowed users to navigate the streets using the camera on their phone, see the world around them, and get practical instructions on their screens. Now, with the help of billions of Street View images, artificial intelligence and AR technology, the new Live View option gives users a much better insight into their environment. More information with various points of interest such as shops, restaurants, banks, ATMs will also be displayed…

In addition, Google Maps Live View will highlight areas of interest beyond the user’s sight that other buildings may obscure. The application will display the location logo with additional information. By selecting “start the journey”, the user can choose to be shown AR-navigation pop-ups, arrows that indicate direction, and distance information to find their destination as easily and quickly as possible.

This week, Google will implement this service for Android and iOS users in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, London and Paris.

In addition, Google will also update for Google Lens Multisearch and provide access to new immersive ar-related features. For those unfamiliar with the technology, the Google Lens Multisearch tool allows users to search for items through uploaded photos. In order to access this feature, users must upload an image of the food they are interested in to the Multisearch engine. The service will then search for places nearby where users can get the desired groceries or already ready-made food and textually and visually direct users to that place.

Furthermore, Google will update its Lens AR Translation service later this year to work in conjunction with Live View and Multisearch functions. So users will be able to see a real-time translation of the caption virtually overlapped over real-world banners.

Last but not least, Google is globally introducing search easily accessible places in wheelchairs into its Google Maps app. Initially, this option was only available in Australia, Japan, the UK and the US.