Google brings Explore functionality to mobile versions Maps

Google has brought new functionality to the Android and iOS versions of Google Maps that gives users suggestions on what to do in certain places, based on their preferences and location. Google will roll out the Explore button starting this week.

Google announces Explore functionality for Android and iOS Maps apps, but the iOS app has been quietly getting the update lately. The feature allows mobile Google Maps users to discover nearby places, making suggestions based on region, user preferences, weather, and time of day, among other things. Users can determine the size of the area that Maps should consider ‘nearby’.

Once the user is in his or her location, he or she can get more information about the place such as restaurant reviews and public transit times, with suggestions getting better as the user visits more places. With the functionality, Google brings an alternative to existing services such as Yelp and Foursquare to Google Maps.