If you've ever gotten annoyed trying to find where to go to lunch or what sites to see while on holiday, then Google Gemini could soon have solutions for you by integrating Google Maps directly into the app.
There have been indications that Google was looking to implement a new Maps tab into Google Gemini, but there was no idea how it would work. All we had heard from a prior teardown was that it would take the form of a new attachment button and work similarly to Google Maps' "Search This Area." However, in a recent teardown, Android Authority got the feature to work on the Google app version 16.6.58.ve.arm64.
The idea is to offer a new tab that allows users to quickly access an in-app version of Google Maps, then use that to attach a specific map area directly to a prompt. Users can ask Gemini questions about that location, for instance, restaurant suggestions, tourist attractions, and even hospitals, while getting the benefit of Gemini's more conversational tone and ability to respond to follow-up questions.
When you activate the Maps option in the attachment sheet, you’ll see a full-screen map view with a search icon in the top-right corner, a current location button, and a larger button to explore the area at the bottom. You can also opt to zoom in or out of the selected area before you attach it, while tapping the explore area adds the whole chosen region to your Gemini compose box.
There’s also a search UI option that lets you look up places, or you can choose a precise location to have Gemini focus on a specific place. However, according to the report, the feature wasn’t entirely accurate in its information. Apparently, the current version is capable of recognizing intent when it comes to questions and requests, but it isn't capable of reducing suggestions to precise locations.
How has this taken so long
While the feature might not be working quite right just yet, the actual idea is a solid one, which could lead many to wonder why it has taken so long for Google to introduce the feature.
The reality is that actually implementing Google Maps data directly into a generative AI is complicated and, as the current versions' results show, requires a lot of fine-tuning. However, Google has slowly been implementing more Gemini-backed AI features into the Google Maps app, which shows just how useful it can be. For instance, we saw numerous features within Google Maps improve with the implementation of Gemini, including landmark assistance that helps you better understand your journey.
We've also seen that Gemini, now officially supported in Google Maps, offers walking and cycling routes, bringing a conversational, hands-free experience to more users. Considering Google Maps is arguably the best map app for users who don't drive, this is a major win. We also saw numerous features within Google Maps improve with the implementation of Gemini, including landmark assistance that helps you better understand your journey.
There’s no clear indication of when we could see this new feature appear, but I would hope that we don’t have to wait too long. However, considering the current technical issues reported, we might be waiting for a while yet.
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