Google Maps Street View has received a UI update which sees it gain a split-screen option. As reported by 9to5Google this update for Android now launches automatically when you drop a pin in the app.
Google Maps has been hard at work to add new features and updates over recent months. These have varied significantly from small tweaks to large overhauls.
For example, back in December, Maps introduced Community Feeds. This new feature was designed to allow community-reviews to flow much more easily in the aim. The overall aim was to allow users to access new and upcoming spots in their local area.
Additionally, Maps also added a range of updates in November. These included an enhanced COVID-19 layer, live status of takeout and delivery orders, Assistant Driving Mode and more.
The enhanced COVID.19 layer in particular has helped many users gain a deeper understanding of the pandemic situation in their local areas. Whilst Assistant Driving Mode has been a long-awaited feature but has still not yet arrived as anything more than a preview.
This new split-screen UI update, as shown by the screenshots below, allows users to access both Street View but also navigate with regular Google Maps with much more ease.
Google Maps adds Street View split-screen
Although the new feature will automatically launch when you drop a pin in Street View there are circumstances when this does not happen.
If you access Street View through a location’s listing the regular fullscreen mode will launch. However, you will now see a minimize button in the bottom corner as shown above.
As the above screenshot shows, the map features street-level imagery highlighted in blue. The Photo Spheres taken by users then shown as dots around the map.
Users can tap anywhere on the map to jump to that location. The circular arrow now also demonstrates which direction you are currently facing.
As a result, of this split-screen blending of features, the navigation mode is now much more immersive and easy to operate.
It appears that this feature has rolled out widely amongst the users base through a server-side update. It shows up on the Android client, but not iOS just yet.
The feature has been available on the web for some time now so expect it to roll out to iPhone users fairly soon. Overall, it seems like a useful innovation that much allows users to navigate much more efficiently when using Street View compared to before.