Android and iPhone users will have better location control with Google Maps, thanks to new features

Google’s delivery of its services across Google Maps has always been dependent on location data. With the usage of this data, the business can offer features that improve customer experience, such personalized suggestions and turn-by-turn guidance. However, privacy concerns have also been raised by the acquisition of location data. Google has revealed a number of new capabilities that will give them more authority over the location information they display in Maps in order to solve this.

Alongside already-available options on Google Maps, such as auto-delete and Incognito mode, the new feature will be released. The firm claims that the new features are intended to provide consumers with increased transparency and give them authority over their personal information, protecting its security and privacy.

Timeline function

The Timeline Feature is Google Maps’ first notable update. Thanks to the new functionality, users may now view locations and activities from the past by saving the information directly to their device. Users will have more ownership and control over their data thanks to this upgrade, which is powered by the Location History setting. They will be able to stop the setting completely or erase all or part of their Timeline data at any time.

Google has added the ability to cloud backup Timeline memories for users who want to keep them. Google will automatically encrypt this backup data to protect the privacy of your personal data. Users will be able to restore their data in the event that they change phones thanks to this functionality.

Furthermore, to provide consumers more discretion over how long their data stays available, Google changed the Location History default auto-delete control from 18 months to three months.

Option to remove location-specific activity data

Additionally, Google now lets users see and remove all of their recent activity associated with a certain location. All of these functions—including searches, directions, visits, and shares—will be available from a single, central area inside Maps.

Users will be able to easily manage their location footprint and privacy thanks to this new function.

Important location controls are accessible

Giving additional power to the blue dot in Maps—which indicates the location—is another significant development from Google. With the latest version, users can now tap the blue dot to quickly access important location controls on Google.

The primary location controls will provide details like a brief summary of the Timeline and Location History settings, along with the authorization for Maps to retrieve the device’s position. Moreover, users will have even more transparency and control over data consumption since they can check whether Maps has access to their device’s location.

Users will receive notifications when the upgrade becomes available for their accounts, according to Google, which says that it is progressively releasing these updates on the iOS and Android platforms throughout the year.