Google Maps has introduced a slew of features in India, and it hopes it will help users find addresses that aren’t registered on its ecosystem. The search giant has also opened-up Plus Codes in the Indian market that lets you convert long format addresses into alpha-numeric codes.
This openly available platform isn’t directly connected to Google’s other businesses, and can be put into use by services like Uber and Zomato among others, if they find them useful.
Google hosting a Maps-centric event in India doesn’t happen very often, but with the Billion Users division working proactively on features that cater to the country, Maps was next on their agenda, it seems.
Plus Codes aren’t very different from what we’ve seen with the likes of MapMyIndia and India-based Zippr, which also deals in codes for addresses.
The big differentiating factor with Plus Codes will be its association with Google, and that it works via Google Maps, which is frequently used by people in India.
This isn’t a new product (debuted in 2015) but enters India, probably after Google realised that adding every location of the country to its Maps might not be possible after all.
To simplify for users, Google states the Plus Codes basically zeroes in on an area, based on the "Plus Code" which is provided by a user. The code comprises of a "six-character + city" format that can be generated, shared, and searched by anyone.
To use a "Plus Code", users need to simply enter it into the Search field on Google or Google Maps, mobile or desktop, which will instantly show a location.
The fact that you can simply add these codes and search them on Google, could be a big game changer for this segment. Or else, chances are, you might end up going on a treasure hunt with no real coordinates in hand.
Having said that, users in India, accustomed to directions via landmarks, require deeper education to adapt to codes, which can be complex to decipher at times.
The Google Maps team in India understands the challenges of bringing Plus Codes in a country that can be geographically hard to catch hold of, but with machine learning, Google is confident of pulling this off.
They have also powered more Indian languages, six to be precise, with voice support for navigation.
Smart Address Search Or Just Add Them Yourself
Yep, Google believes that even with its existing address library of 100 million households, they’re nowhere close to mapping all locations in the country.
And to beat this hurdle, Google Maps will let users add the data themselves, filling up the missing pieces, ie, landmarks, building number, or even the floor that you reside in. Just head over to Google Maps, select ‘Add a missing place’ and then you can fill details like type of place, Landmark or House/Apartment.
But I am more intrigued with how Google uses its renowned Machine learning infrastructure (about time they did) to make searching addresses smarter in the country via its Smart Address search.
Whenever you can’t find a particular address, Maps will guide you to a nearby location (as shown below), and take you from there on.
They’ve also worked along establishments like the Delhi Police to decongest traffic in busy/blocked routes, which was first tried out on Republic Day this year, as informed by one of their country spokesperson.
Someone from the media did raise a valid point, as to how this feature on Maps will work in areas with longer names, especially in the Southern and Eastern part of the country, and Google’s representative at Maps gave a straight face answer by admitting that Maps is constantly evolving with new learnings observed.
Yes, Maps is improving by the day, but Google admits that instead of mapping every nook and corner in the country, they’re looking to find other innovative ways to make searching on Maps easier.
While users might partially agree with it, they’ll need services like Uber and Zomato among others to bring them into daily use-case.
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