London — If you are keen on spending your whole time this summer in London for the Olympics, then do not forget to carry your smartphone or tablet with you. Global web search giant Google has finally released its indoor mapping service for the U.K. residents, and maybe more importantly tourists, will now have the luxury of pulling out their Android smartphone to find a department store’s shoe section, instead of asking for directions.
Considering England’s notoriously dreary weather, most people often unable to find the right place, for instance, in train stations, museums, department stores and shopping centers. But today, however, Google is bringing the nifty functionality to Great Britain for citizens and visitors alike.
Among other things, describing the functionality in detail on the company’s blog, Google U.K. Geo Indoor Partnerships lead Razia Ahamed promised that “you will no longer need to feel clueless” while trying to figure out where to grab coffee before catching the next train.
Besides, the awkwardness of asking where a store’s lingerie department is will be gone, he said, “because you will have every location captured in the palm of your hand.”
“We are happy to announce that today Google is launching indoor maps for Android devices in the UK. You will no longer need to feel clueless when you are at the railway station, trying to figure out where to buy a coffee before you rush to catch your train from platform 11; nor will you feel embarrassed about asking for the lingerie section when you are in the department store – because you will have all the answers in the palm of your hand,” Google boasts in a blog post.
Currently available on Android smartphones, the sharp feature empowers users to get directions while indoors, with 40 venues already onboard. When roaming around anyone of the 40 supported locations, this nifty feature will let you know what floor you are on and what exit you are near, and even offers step-by-step instructions on how to get from A to B. These include Kings Cross Station, the O2 Arena, and the notoriously confusing Selfridges store on London’s Oxford Street.
In fact, Google in October mentioned that it would take its Street View mapping experience indoors, attaching to its navigation lineup of streets, landmarks, parks, and other various locations around the world. Thus, it is now apparent that more locations will be added to the service, as Google has promised that anyone who owns a building can upload their maps and floor-plans for inclusion in Google Maps.
To access the feature you will need to upgrade Google Maps to version 6.0, then simply open Google Maps on an Android phone, zoom into your desired location and the indoor floor plan appears, with a blue “You Are Here” dot, if the information is available within that building. From there, search for your next destination, and Google Maps will provide directions.
Google has been jazzing up its maps program recently, adding 3D technology for its mobile version of Google Earth and offering built-in support for local offers. The search engine giant first introduced Indoor Maps on Google Maps last year in a few selected areas in the U.S. and Japan. You can check out the list of supported areas here.