During its I/O developer conference in May, Google tipped a new Maps feature that lets you create a shortlist of places and share it with friends, who can vote on where they want to go. Now, that feature is finally arriving.
Ever try to make plans to go out to dinner with a group of people? It’s a nightmare. Your one friend needs vegan options, another person is gluten-free, you’re craving pho, and 20 group texts later, no one can agree.
Google wants to make it a little easier to reach a consensus. During its I/O developer conference in May, the web giant tipped a new Maps feature that lets you create a shortlist of places that can be shared with friends, who can add to the list and vote for their favorite. Now, that feature is finally arriving.
Coming soon, you can also use @googlemaps to easily make plans as a group. Create a shortlist of places within the app and instantly share it with friends across any platform to take a vote and quickly decide on where to go. #io18 pic.twitter.com/thdvUf8qQ7
To try it out, long-press on any place to add it to a shortlist, which will appear as a circular „floating bubble on the side of your screen,“ Google Maps Senior Product Manager Sophia Lin explained in a Wednesday blog post. When you’re finished adding places to the list, you can share it with friends via „any messaging platform.“
Recipients will see all the options you selected on a map and can scroll through a carousel at the bottom of the screen to see details about each place. Every member of the group can add or delete places and vote on their choice.
Google is rolling out this new group planning feature on Android and iOS this week.
The update comes after Google in June launched a redesigned Explore tab in Maps that offers recommendations for restaurants, bars, and cafes in any area you’re interested in researching. The app also now offers trending lists of places you might want to check out, culled from local experts and Google’s algorithms.
