Google Maps gets a smart new feature perfect for travelers
New to Google Maps is integration with Google Lens, the powerful image recognition system first introduced in 2017. With the latest update to Maps, the software will enhance listings for restaurants with more information on the menu.
As seen in this picture from 9to5Google, the interface will give you the option to ‘Explore dishes’. It can identify the most popular items, find images for dishes, or even translate foreign menus to give you a better idea of what a dish will look like.
The exciting thing about this is that it happens without any work from the restaurant’s end. As long as a reasonably clear photo of the menu exists in Google’s database, your phone should be able to generate these options and context information.
As you might expect from how heavily it relies on Google services, the feature is only available on Android for now, but like most Maps features, it’ll likely make its way across to the iOS pond before too long.
