Google Maps has come up with a new way to show the search shortcuts on Android smartphones. The search options will be shown in pill shape right below the main search bar. It allows users to search their destinations faster. The categories present in these pill-shaped options are Restaurants, Petrol, ATM’s, and more. If the user hits the “more” button then the user can see all the categories. Before this feature, Google Maps used to display these options only if the user swipes up on the “Explore Tab” shown below the screen. But the new feature brings out the “always-on” search shortcut feature inside the app. This feature has come only for the Android users having Google Maps v10.28.2. iOS users have to wait for its rollout. The new feature has brought up the search categories of “Explore Tab” to the main screen which now is seen just below the big search bar on the top. In the categories, the users will also get their saved directions like “Home” or “Work”. This new feature allows the users to start navigation to their most-used search option quickly. The shortcuts contains pill-shaped search options such as ‘Restaurants', ‘ATMS', ‘Petrol Stations', ‘Shopping Centres', ‘Hotels', ‘Chemists', and ‘More'. When the user taps the “More” category, then he will be able to see a list of search shortcuts with options divided into broad categories such as “Food & Drink”, “Things to do”, “Shopping”, and “Services”. Jploft has seen this change in the latest version and you can see it in the above image. But it is said that the rollout has not come to all the users. If you want to see this feature, then “update Google Maps”, or “install the latest APK from APK Mirror”, or “uninstall and reinstall the Google Maps app”. This new pill-shaped search shortcut carousel uses more space on the main screen of Google Maps and can be an obstacle for old smartphone users having smaller screen sizes. But, as in the present, most of the smartphones have a taller aspect ratio and this change in Google Maps can be great user experience. But, iOS users have to wait for this rollout, as there are no words regarding this.
