Google launched new local search features, which were previewed earlier this year. One of these features includes the ability for users to search their surroundings with their phone’s camera.
Another feature showcased at Google’s Search On virtual conference back in September is an option to search restaurants by their dish. A new search capability is also designed into Google Maps’ Live View.
All of these updates are now available. Here’s an overview of each update in local search:
1 – Search With Live View
The new feature, Google Maps Live View, will roll out next week in Los Angeles and New York for Android and iOS mobile phones. It will also be available in Paris, Tokyo, and San Francisco.
With this new feature, you can now find information about businesses and places in your area using your phone’s camera. You find information on whether the company is open, how busy it is, the price range, and its star rating.
2 – Find Charging Stations For Electric Vehicles
Users can now search for wheelchair-accessible places and business locations worldwide. To access this feature, turn on the “Accessible Places” setting in Google Maps.
Once enabled, you can see a wheelchair icon in their business profiles if it has an accessible entrance.
3 – Find Wheelchair Accessible Places
A new filter in Google search can help you look for places with charge stations for electric vehicles.
You can search for “EV charging stations” and select the “fast charge” filter. These features a now available on iOS and Android phones.
4 – Search For Restaurants By Dish
There are now two ways users can find restaurants in their local area. You can search for a restaurant that serves a particular dish by either of the following methods:
- Typing the dish manually
- Conducting a visual search with Google Lens by uploading the dish image.
With Google’s “multi-search near me” feature, you can use Lens Google to snap a picture or take a screen of the dish. Add the words “near me” on the lens to find the restaurants that sell the dish near you.
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