Google Maps, Search to mark busy restaurants and shops to avoid
A new Google Map feature shows users when to avoid certain shops and restaurants. This is intended for people who wish to avoid waiting in queue. The latest update to Google’s search system on Android and iOS devices is a "popular times" meter, which indicates when the searched locations are the busiest.
The meter shows the busiest places in town and which should be avoided for a week-long period. With this feature, Google helps users decide on the best time to hit the gym, go shopping or enjoy dinner. The feature works through the Google app on Android or the Chrome and Safari apps on iOS.
In searching for a place, users can click on "more options." As shown by CNN Money, the search results will not only return the address, business hours and phone number of the establishments; the busiest hours are also included. Users can go through different days of the week to see which hours are more crowded. As a result, people will be able to schedule their visits to places in less busy times. Users can also plan ahead for the entire week to avoid lines and rush hours.
“Now, you can avoid the wait and see the busiest times of the week at millions of places and businesses around the world directly from Google Search,” Google said in a blog post . Smartphones with GPS settings enabled for Google Maps send anonymous data about the user's movements to Google. The tech giant then pools it together and sends it back to users. The Internet giant believes that this feature will be mainly useful to people who do not like lining up and waiting for hours, and Google wants them to “enjoy their extra time.”
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