Here are the big headlines from the last week:
Black Hat 2019 was a bad week for WhatsApp.
The app had a few exploits show up, including the ability to make messages appear from someone else and the ability to decrypt messages over the web.
The other intercepts decryption keys during the QR code process of the web version.
Google Search now lets you listen to podcasts straight from the search results.
You simply search for a podcast and hit the play button on the Google Search page.
This week the folks at Google responsible for the newest magical features in Google Maps expand availability of Live View.
This is an augmented reality feature that, until now, was only available for testing by Google insiders, Local Guides, and the Pixel community.
EDIT: Again, yes, this is opening to more Android devices at the same time as iOS.
The title I’ve written above reflects the fact that, before now, the system was relegated to Android devices alone, within the Pixel community.
If a Google feature expands to iOS, chances are it will, by default, already be on Android devices – or at least that’s how it SHOULD be, shouldn’t it?
I should make clear, here, that the Live View system is still in Beta mode.
No compatible source was found for this media.
Google has finally rolled out its Augmented Reality (AR) navigation feature for Google Maps for Android and Apple phones.
The feature, currently launched in beta mode was showcased at the Google I/O event last year and launched for Pixel phones at the Google I/O 2019.
The new feature is expected to make walking navigation better.
Currently, GPS pins users' location on the map, but it does not accurately determine the direction which a user is facing.
The Live View feature will make better use of a phone's built-in compass.
It’s called Live View and it’s the function integrated in Google Maps that allows you to get information in augmented reality mode while walking on a stretch of road.
After announcing it months ago and, up until now, made exclusive of Local Guides and Pixel smartphones.
The Mountain View giant has announced the extension of support to other devices.
In particular, Live View is now available in beta on a large list of Android and iOS devices that support ARCore and ARKit respectively.
First of all, you need to select the point of arrival and navigation on foot.
At this point, you need to click on “Directions” and the option that activates the new function will appear at the bottom of the screen.
GPS has done wonders for the directionally challenged, but there’s still a few quirks.
Every time I emerge from the stinky depths of the New York City subway, for instance, my phone’s compass takes forever to figure out which direction I’m pointed in.
Half the time I end up walking a few blocks in the wrong direction, especially if it’s in a neighbourhood or city I’m not familiar with.
But today, Google announced its finally rolling out its Live View augmented reality walking directions in Google Maps.
The feature was initially introduced back in 2018 at Google I/O, and it’s been available for Pixel phones since March.
Over the next week, it should be rolling out to non-Pixel Android phones capable of running ARCore and iPhones capable of running ARKit, which you can find listed at the bottom of this page.
Whether you live in a big city or are just visiting, finding a specific location can be a little difficult.
It can be easy to get turned around right when you get off the subway or train, for example, and the compass in the maps app you’re using may not offer much help.
Google’s solution is an integrated augmented reality (AR) mode for walking navigation, to help point the way.
The company first announced the feature at Google I/O 2018, and it’s finally making its way to the Maps app.
AR Mode was initially exclusive to Google’s Pixel phones — including the Pixel 3a — but the company has now made it available for any Android phone that supports ARCore and any iPhone that supports ARKit.
The feature is still in beta.
From the ashes of Google Trips rises a set of new features for Google Maps, it would appear.
Of course, we knew that these features were on the way, as Google said that it would implement much of Trips’ functionality in Maps and Search when it decided to sunset the app.
Essentially, then, it seems that the decision to shut down Trips was made in part to consolidate functionality among Google’s lineup of apps.
The first organizes all of your upcoming trips in one place – when you open the Google Maps app and tap the menu icon in the upper left corner, you can view all of your future trips by selecting “Your Places” and then navigating to the “Reservations” tab.
Tapping on a trip will pull up all of the reservations associated on that trip, whether you’re looking for flight information or hotel bookings.
You’ll be able to view your reservation information even if you’re offline, so if you find yourself in a spot with no internet access, you still be able to see where you need to go.
This is a product which would have cost a lot of money and time to develop, at least to ensure it is the most useful of its kind, while there was little immediate return on investment.
Now Google is reaping the commercial benefits of Maps, but it is still keeping an eye on new features, improved experience and, eventually, additional revenues.
“Not only does Google Maps help you navigate, explore, and get things done at home, but it’s also a powerful travel companion,” Rachel Inman wrote on Google’s blog.
“After you’ve booked your trip, these new tools will simplify every step of your trip once you’ve touched down–from getting around a new city to reliving every moment once you’re home.”
Google is not a company which makes money by accident.
The acquisitions of Android and DeepMind certainly added new elements to the business model, its smart speakers and push into the connected car offer more engagement points moving away from traditional user interface, and Maps is an on-going project which seems to never get old.
The augmented reality walking directions feature in Google Maps is about to be made available on more devices.
Google has announced its Live View AR walking mode will come to Android phones that support ARCore, and iPhone models that support ARKit this week.
The feature has been available for Pixel phones for some time, after being initially announced during Google I/O in 2018.
Google is quick to point out the feature is still in beta, pre-warning those who try it that it may not operate as faultlessly as using Google Maps normally; but don’t let that put you off giving it a spin.
Live View uses the camera on your phone so you can see the world around you, then overlays arrows and directional information to make finding the way to your destination easier.
ARCore is the name for Google’s augmented reality software platform, and although not every Android phone supports it, the vast majority made over the past few years will be fine.
No compatible source was found for this media.
Google has finally rolled out its Augmented Reality (AR) navigation feature for Google Maps for Android and Apple phones.
The feature, currently launched in beta mode was showcased at the Google I/O event last year and launched for Pixel phones at the Google I/O 2019.
The new feature is expected to make walking navigation better.
Currently, GPS pins users' location on the map, but it does not accurately determine the direction which a user is facing.
The Live View feature will make better use of a phone's built-in compass.
It’s called Live View and it’s the function integrated in Google Maps that allows you to get information in augmented reality mode while walking on a stretch of road.
After announcing it months ago and, up until now, made exclusive of Local Guides and Pixel smartphones.
The Mountain View giant has announced the extension of support to other devices.
In particular, Live View is now available in beta on a large list of Android and iOS devices that support ARCore and ARKit respectively.
First of all, you need to select the point of arrival and navigation on foot.
At this point, you need to click on “Directions” and the option that activates the new function will appear at the bottom of the screen.
The search giant on Thursday announced a handful of new features aimed at helping people while they are planning trips and traveling.
One new feature lets people pull up their travel reservations, like flight and hotel bookings, so they don't have to leave the app while they're navigating to a new destination.
The tool works if you're offline, so it's available for travelers going to off-the-grid places.
Another update lets people export a list of of restaurants and other places they've visited to share with friends.
The changes come after Google shut down its travel management app Trips earlier this week but said it would integrate its features into the company's other products.
Google also said Thursday it's expanding its augmented reality walking navigations, a feature that helps people find their way by using a phone's camera and showing digital arrows on the screen.
Google has launched a new augmented reality (AR) navigation tool for Google Maps, which will guide you to your destination by superimposing arrows over real-world footage from your phone's camera.
Last week, it was discovered that Apple has applied for a patent for AR directions that would overlay route directions onto real-world footage captured by a phone's camera.
Apple Maps has always struggled in comparison to Google Maps, and it looked like this might finally give it the upper hand.
However, it turns out Apple was way behind the curve – Google had been working on a similar features for months, and its Live View tool is already available as a beta.
More of an Apple fan?
Here are the best free apps for iPhone
The AR feature in Google Maps that Google first demoed more than a year ago — a heads-up mode called Live View that provides directions from phones’ cameras in real time — will roll out in beta in the coming weeks for compatible iOS and Android devices, the company today announced.
Live View was previously only available to users who were enrolled in the Google Maps beta and were level 5 or above in Google’s Local Guides program, and to owners of Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, and older Pixel smartphones.
As before, Live View will require an ARCore- and ARKit-supported smartphone and will only work in countries where Google Street View is available.
Google also warns that Live View will slightly increase Maps’ battery and cellular data consumption.
Tapping the Start AR button kicks off Live View navigation, and holding up the phone reveals arrows, indicators, and a live map that guides you to your final destination.
Using a technique known as global localization, Maps gets a phone’s coarse location via GPS, and it uses Street View imagery to narrow down the exact location.
The search giant on Thursday announced a handful of new features aimed at helping people while they are planning trips and traveling.
One new feature lets people pull up their travel reservations, like flight and hotel bookings, so they don't have to leave the app while they're navigating to a new destination.
The tool works if you're offline, so it's available for travelers going to off-the-grid places.
Another update lets people export a list of of restaurants and other places they've visited to share with friends.
The changes come after Google shut down its travel management app Trips earlier this week but said it would integrate its features into the company's other products.
Google also said Thursday it's expanding its augmented reality walking navigations, a feature that helps people find their way by using a phone's camera and showing digital arrows on the screen.
The AR feature in Google Maps that Google first demoed more than a year ago — a heads-up mode called Live View that provides directions from phones’ cameras in real time — will roll out in beta in the coming weeks for compatible iOS and Android devices, the company today announced.
Live View was previously only available to users who were enrolled in the Google Maps beta and were level 5 or above in Google’s Local Guides program, and to owners of Pixel 3a, Pixel 3a XL, and older Pixel smartphones.
As before, Live View will require an ARCore- and ARKit-supported smartphone and will only work in countries where Google Street View is available.
Google also warns that Live View will slightly increase Maps’ battery and cellular data consumption.
Tapping the Start AR button kicks off Live View navigation, and holding up the phone reveals arrows, indicators, and a live map that guides you to your final destination.
Using a technique known as global localization, Maps gets a phone’s coarse location via GPS, and it uses Street View imagery to narrow down the exact location.
Google has launched a new augmented reality (AR) navigation tool for Google Maps, which will guide you to your destination by superimposing arrows over real-world footage from your phone's camera.
Last week, it was discovered that Apple has applied for a patent for AR directions that would overlay route directions onto real-world footage captured by a phone's camera.
Apple Maps has always struggled in comparison to Google Maps, and it looked like this might finally give it the upper hand.
However, it turns out Apple was way behind the curve – Google had been working on a similar features for months, and its Live View tool is already available as a beta.
More of an Apple fan?
Here are the best free apps for iPhone