We’re not saying that it’ll merely be Hogwarts students who are pleased by the fact that Google Maps has gone indoors in the UK. For those on a sightseeing trip across London, the directions to Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross should be a few clicks away with the latest introduction from Mountain View.
Apparently, there’s something embarrassing ‘about asking for the lingerie section’ at a department store and the official Google Lat Long blog says we’ll be able to duck that one sticky situation amongst many others. With indoor maps for Android devices making their way to the UK, users will be able to avail of instructions on how to get to particular places within a building even if they’re on another floor.
“I know that I’ll definitely be using the indoor maps feature this summer to find my way around London as I start my work as a volunteer this summer. And no doubt I’ll also be using it in between my shifts, perhaps for a spot of retail therapy at Peter Jones or to check out the James Bond exhibition at the Barbican,” trills Razia Ahamed, Geo Indoor Partnerships Lead, UK.
Simply opening the Maps application on a mobile device and zooming into the current location will deliver the indoor floor plan to users. For areas where the data is already available, people should be able to figure out where they are on the concerned map by following the blue dot. While the company has worked with over 40 UK venues to render the service, additional map uploads by building owners are being welcomed for future inclusions.
Android users in the UK will need to update or download Google Maps in order to take advantage of the new indoor locations feature.