A forthcoming upgrade to Google Maps will give consumers greater control over their geographical data, allowing them to remove previously visited areas.
Google stated in a blog post that the app’s Timeline function, which records all the stops and routes a user takes, would now save this data locally on the phone instead of in the cloud. An option to send encrypted data may still be sent to the cloud by users.
With the aid of an option named Location History, the Timeline tool in Maps may help you recall the locations you’ve visited. Location History is turned off by default, but a small percentage of users can choose to enable it. Soon, your Timeline will be kept directly on your device, providing you with a greater degree of oversight over your data. A user can erase or modify any of their data whenever they like.
According to Google, by default, the Timeline is turned off. To enable it, users must enable Location History. Also, the data shall be automatically removed from the device after three months. However, users have the option to alter their auto-delete parameters to extend the Timeline.
On top of that, Google is letting users remove specific stops and actions from Maps. According to the business, there are situations when it comes in useful, such as when someone is organizing a surprise beach party and has to visit the beach more than once. According to Google’s blog post, users will soon be able to see a consolidated view of all their beach-related Maps activity, including searches, visits, directions, and shares, and may quickly remove them with a few clicks.
In weeks to come, users will be able to remove any action connected to a specific location.
The colored dot that displays a user’s current position on a map will get touch controls. The tech giant said that by tapping this button, users might quickly determine whether they have granted Maps access to their device’s location if they have enabled Location History or Timeline. Such controls will be implemented in the next few weeks.
The Timeline updates will be available to users throughout 2024.
