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Google Maps can now search along your route if you’re biking or walking
You’ve long been able to search for things along your route when you’re driving, but for some reason, if you were walking or riding a bike while using Google Maps as your navigator, these tools were strangely absent. However, Google Maps version 9.26 is finally rectifying this problem.
This is great news for the droves of bicycle commuters and peripatetics who have been denied the ability to search for the nearest beef jerky outlet along their route. Or, you know, whatever it is people search for while they’re walking or biking.
The update also have some other tiny tweaks to make your experience a little better. For instance, a shortcut to change your home or work icon has been added to the overflow menu on the Your Places menu. Before this addition, you had to go all the way into the details screen on a given location before changing the way it shows up on your map overview. They’ve also added the ability to toggle “Ok Google” voice detection from within the app. This technically has nothing to do with the Maps app, but since it’s safer to use voice commands than to be tapping away on your phone while you’re on the road, it’s nice to see them add this shortcut to encourage you to take advantage of this feature. You can also now opt in to get updates about your favorite places.
It’s a small update, but a pleasant one. Nothing really game-changing; it’s just a few niceties extended to the Maps userbase. Let us know what you think of this update in the comments below!