Google Maps Adds Battery Status to Location Sharing

Real-time Location Sharing has been available as a feature in Google Maps for both Android and iOS for some time. Not only can you inform your friends and family of your exact whereabouts, you can also share the progress of your trip. As a new, extra feature, Google Maps has now added your battery life to the Location Sharing, making it possible to quickly tell your friends whether or not trying to contact you before you arrive will be futile.

Anyone who has sat in a café waiting for a friend, who either lives in a slightly different timezone or just takes the academic quarter a bit too seriously, will appreciate this new function. Not only is waiting for someone a terribly annoying experience, there’s also the element of uncertainty: Did something happen on their way over here? Are they okay? Why aren’t they answering their phone? These fears can easily be averted through knowledge of your friend’s location and the reason behind the immediate voicemail, when you try calling them. With Progress Sharing, you can also follow their movement and expected arrival time, so you can surprise your tardy friend with a ready latte. And if they can’t find you, you can simply use Location Sharing as well, to let them know exactly where you are.

The Keyword: Safety

Location Sharing also has the potential to reduce a lot of traveling stress for families. In a time where children own Smartphones or Tablets before they own pencil cases, parents can easily turn on the function in Google Maps and feel more secure in the knowledge that the little monsters can be found hugging Pluto in Disneyland or hiding in the bathroom at the airport. As of the latest Google Maps update, you can watch their battery status to make sure to gather the family before it runs out.

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