Quick Summary:
Here’s a small product feature recommendation for Google Maps on Android. Currently when I am in Google Maps and typing in the search box, it throws results that match with Google Places directory on the web. If it also throws matches with local contacts in the phone (or Google account) that have an address field added, it will ease usage.
Background:
A quick background will help understand the use-case much better. I was traveling to Jaipur and wanted to go to my friend’s place in Bani Park. I had asked him for his address the day before and stored that in the phone’s contact against his name. Now when I was close to Bani park and looking for exact directions to his place, I had to
- go to the Contacts,
- search for his name,
- View and copy the address,
- Close Contacts and open Google Maps,
- click on search(in GMaps) and paste the address (without the door number etc),
- See the matching list of places from Googles Places directory,
- Choose the right one and get started
Recommended Solution for showing contact addresses in Google Maps :
It would have been so much easier if
- I go to Google Maps
- Click on search and type the friend’s name
- IF there is an address field against it, gets thrown up
- [CHALLENGE] – Smartly remove the part(s) of address like door or flat number and match it with Google Places
- Get started
Better still would be if
Once I have used the (text based) address for directions inside maps for the first time, it asks me to “pin” the place on the map when I reach my destination,so that an accurate latlon (latitude longitude) can be entered in a hidden field against this address.
If this pinning of a text address is done, it can add more wow – as soon as I open up Google Maps at a particular location, it can show me my pins in the vicinity – no more typing or searching needed – just choose the pin for directions and get started.
What do you think?
Is this something that would make your GMaps experience better? Do let me know in the comments section below – will love to hear your feedback.
#Android #GoogleMaps #GMaps #Google
Update – Google Maps now has this feature live !
And am thrilled. Not just as a user. But also as a product manager, that a feature that one envisioned has been found useful and implemented.
Here’s how it looks now. Interestingly, the match from the address book is right at the top.
