Google has been planning to introduce AR implementation to the Google Maps app for quite some time. The feature would help users to get AR walking directions in real time while using Maps. Google Maps AR feature was announced a year ago, but the company wasn’t satisfied with the performance. Back in February, the search giant started to run limited tests of the feature, and now the feature is finally rolling out to Pixel owners.
Google Maps meets AR.
Rolling out to Pixel phones, starting today. #io19 pic.twitter.com/rDBxvbZyF8
— Google Maps (@googlemaps) May 7, 2019
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Once the feature is activated, the Augmented reality will immediately launch your camera and present you with a live view of your surroundings with a small rounded cutout at the bottom that serves to show the actual map. Google Maps AR will provide useful information on your screen with banners, street names, and even arrows indicating directions.
Google advises users to be careful while using this feature, since walking and staring at your screen isn’t the safest option. The feature, however, is welcome when your GPS has gone crazy, and you’re trying to figure which direction you’ll need to follow. Until the moment there’s no word on further availability of this feature on non-Pixel smartphones. but we can expect Maps AR to run on more devices soon. Knowing how the things go in Android community, we expect to see a non-official ported version of the Maps AR app popping out in the coming days.
Worth noting that in order to run this feature, the device must offer support for ARCore and ARKit. Google also states that this feature will result in high data consumption as well as increased battery drain.
