Let’s face it: we’re all hopelessly dependent on Google Maps. And now, the app is doubling down on its role as your overly knowledgeable travel buddy with two slick new updates. One’s practical. The other? Well, it involves AI—so brace for occasional nonsense.
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Update #1: No More Parking Panic
Google Maps is finally putting crucial info front and center. That tiny info card when you tap a location? It now blatantly exposes parking availability and toll fees—no more digging through menus like some digital archaeologist. Traffic stats, ETAs, and parking woes? All in one glance. It’s a small change, but for anyone who’s circled a block for 20 minutes hunting a spot, it’s gold.
Catch: The rollout’s gradual. So if you don’t see it yet, keep seething in parking-lot purgatory a little longer.
Update #2: Gemini Invades Your Road Trips
Here’s where things get interesting. Tap a location in Maps, summon Gemini (long-press that power button), and boom—a new “Ask about place” button appears. Want to know if that café’s kid-friendly? Or if the museum closes early on Tuesdays? Gemini will attempt to answer… with the usual AI caveats. (“Hallucinations may occur. Side effects include misplaced trust.”)
The Bigger Picture: This is just the start. Google’s shoving Gemini into everything, slowly euthanizing Assistant. Maps is next in line for an AI overhaul—for better or worse.
