Google Introduces Google Maps Profiles While Apple Expands Look Around to Japan
05 August 2020
Google has introduced a new feature to Google Maps which will allow users to follow each other and share their locations. The update is an extension of a pilot feature introduced last year which allowed users to follow select local guides for regular updates. Following the success of the pilot launch, Google is expanding the functionality to all users worldwide. Any Google user who has publicly shared reviews, photos or local knowledge via Google Maps will have the ability to manage their own Google Maps profile and choose who is allowed to follow them. Google Maps profiles will feature topic filters to easily see the places and businesses users post about most often.
Apple has also announced the first international expansion of its new Look Around feature in Apple Maps. The Look Around feature will be rolled out to four of Japan’s largest cities: Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya and Osaka. The feature works similarly to Google’s Street View and will allow an Apple Maps user to explore and zoom in on the city streets via a series of high resolution 3D photographs. Apple has also introduced updated map data to Japan and intends to release new map data to the UK, Ireland and Canada as part of iOS 14 this year.
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