Home » Google Maps Dock could make multitasking and research easier
Google Maps Dock could make multitasking and research easier
Katherine Bennett December 24, 2021 0
In terms of functionality and aesthetics, however, the images associated with the new feature are clear. With the feature in place, searching for a location in Google Maps reveals a new, pill-shaped blue button. That reads "Dock to bottom." As the button text betrays, tapping or clicking on "Dock to bottom" sends a small dark-shaded card to a newly-implemented bottom-bar UI. Not too dissimilarly to how Chrome groups tabs. The card features the business name that was sent to the dock. As well as what type of business it is. Docking multiple locations results in a tab-like UI, with an individual card for each business.
Users of Google Maps may soon be able to 'dock' locations on the web version of the service. Effectively improving an app that has already received a lot of praise. Specifically, by allowing users to switch between multiple businesses, restaurants, and other locations with a single tap or click. According to recent sources, the new docking capability is now being tested. So, what exactly is this new Google Maps dock and what does it do? Of course, because the newly discovered dock in Google Maps is still in beta, it isn't available to everyone. Not yet, at least. For the time being, it's only available in the web version of Maps. There's no word on whether it'll appear elsewhere, such as in the app or in Android Auto. As a result, it's not immediately clear what Google's goal is.
Each card, when clicked or tapped, returns users to the associated business page in Maps, as shown in the images below. That means that users who are, for example, researching a specific type of business, can open up multiple businesses. Then they can cycle through those businesses, looking at any available details for comparison's sake. All without opening more than one instance of Google Maps. Conversely, the same tool may be useful when it comes to plotting out a trip, making it easier to look for locations that are along a route before hitting the road. Or for any number of other reasons, varying from user to user. Pages that have been docked can be closed via a click or tap on the 'x' icon found on each card individually. The 'x' appears on a hover over the cards.
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