Sandra Theres DonyIndian users will now have the benefit of using Plus Codes in Google Maps. This can be used while saving or sharing the home addresses. Instead of relying on street and locality names for a particular address, Plus Codes depend on latitudes and longitudes, and include six or seven letters and numbers for a specific address, in addition to the name of the town or city. At a time when the dependency on Maps for navigation is on the rise, this addition will be a welcome change. Although it was rolled out in the year 2018 in India, its use was mainly limited to businesses and NGOs. From now on home addresses will also be able to use Plus Codes.
The What and Why
These days, people are becoming largely dependent on Google Maps and like for finding their way around a particular place. Figuring out a particular location or navigating through a new neighborhood has become less cumbersome, thanks to Google Maps. And now with the extension to Plus Codes to home addresses, the utility factor has received yet another boost. Let us take a look at what Amanda Bishop, the Product Manager of Google Maps had to say about the feature,
“We piloted this feature in India a month ago, and are thrilled to share that over 300,000 users in India have already found their home address using Plus Codes. We are looking forward to expanding to more types of places, and are actively looking for opportunities to partner with e-commerce, logistics, and delivery companies, to scale up the experience to more people across the world.”
As per the reports from Google, Android users will be able to use the capability first, and later on, it will be extended to iOS as well. A prompt saying, “Use current location” will be displayed when someone saves their ‘Home’ location on Google Maps. The phone’s location will be used to generate a plus code which can later be used as the Home address. In order to make the whole process easier, a section has been added at the top of the “Saved” tab which will make the retrieval, copying, and sharing of the home addresses more convenient.
Identifying Plus Codes
Plus Codes will add a level of ease and efficiency, making it easier for people to “receive deliveries, access emergency, and social services, or just help other people find them.” The fact that they are open-source and easy to use adds to the highlight. Being shorter than conventional globe coordinates makes them easier to share. And in a country like India where mobile connectivity isn’t extremely reliable at all times, Plus Codes come with an additional advantage. A code can be created irrespective of whether the person is online or offline.