Google introduced real-time location sharing on Google Maps in March last year to enable sharing your live route and ETA with your contacts easily. This feature allows you to share your current location with people, which then enables them to track you real-time.
The tech giant is now improving upon it, and is also bringing ETA sharing to iOS users as well. Google has also introduced support for sharing trip progress on third-party apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and more as well. All of these new features are available via the latest update to Android and iOS, and users can download them via Google Play and App Store for free.
After you've updated to the latest version, start navigation and tap on to the ~CHECK~ button and press 'Share trip progress'. This will enable you to share your live location with a user from your contacts. It will also let the user see your route and ETA in real-time and the sharing will automatically stop once the journey ends, and the directions are shut off by Google Maps. Journey sharing is also available for driving, walking, and cycling navigation with today's update.
Furthermore Google notes that Google Maps also now lets you share live location link on third-party apps as well, something that's now available on Android as well as iOS. "Today's update also allows for sharing across 3rd party apps like Facebook Messenger, Line, WhatsApp, and more-so you can communicate with friends on the platforms you prefer. Once your journey ends, you'll automatically stop sharing your location," Google's product manager Samuel Mclean notes on the company's blog.
This comes after Google introduced a new Commute tab on Android and iOS earlier this month, to help users 'take control of their daily commute.' The new Commute tab gives users one-tap access to live traffic and transit information, personalised to the user's daily commute. Users will be shown if the day's commute will be normal, and will suggest alternative routes in case there is a delay spotted. Android users get an additional feature over iOS ones - they will get delay and disruption notifications while en-route.