04 August 2014

Google Maps no longer offers "search nearby" function

I recently tried to find a certain type of business near a certain location and discovered that I could no longer use Google Maps for that purpose.  A quick search retrieved this confirmatory article:
Ironically, the [updated] maps appear to have become less customer friendly in one important regard: One of the features that Google maps took away on the left side was the "Search nearby" function. That has many users complaining.

The issue is that instead of showing users common places such as restaurants, cafes, pharmacies or post offices, the default Google Maps appears to be focused on people who are completely unfamiliar with the area. Google Maps now wants to show us photos of nearby tourist attractions...

Earlier today, I tried to find a coffee place to meet with a source. I typed in an address in the general area where I planned to go, figuring I'd hit the "search nearby" function afterward as I normally do. No such button was anywhere to be found. ..

Apparently, I'm not the only one who's frustrated with the "search nearby" function being taken away. SlashDot posted complaints about it about a month ago and more than 400 people posted comments on it in the Google Product Forum.

Google community manager Daniel posted a reply to those comments Feb. 20, saying there are two ways to do a nearby search now... [continued at the link]

4 comments:

  1. The new Google maps now offers a link under the "Explore this area" heading that allows you to "Search nearby." Also, if you click in the field where you typed the address, a "Search nearby" option will drop down. Maybe these were added after the above article was written?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now I'm puzzled because sometimes I can see that feature and sometimes I can't.

      Delete
  2. I can find the Search Nearby function on Google Maps, but yes: its interface is gotten terrible since last revision.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You can always just go here: https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=202507363158809892865.000465f4b82d61eaeda9b&dg=feature

    ReplyDelete

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