Google wants to help plan your next trip with updates to Maps and Search

Published 12:14 pm Wednesday, March 27, 2024

: A snapshot of what results look like with Circle to Search on the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Fast Facts

Google’s latest Search Generative Experience is designed to make planning a trip easier, whether well in advance or at the last minute.
The technology giant is also rolling out ‘Circle to Search’ to more devices and will soon add in translations.

Summer’s just around the corner, and Google (GOOG) is rolling out a few updates to Search and Maps that revolve around planning — either well in advance or at the last minute. Come on, it’s fine to be in either category.

As with many new features out of tech companies these days, some are AI-powered, and others are hyper-focused around curated recommendations. Google’s latest search experiment leads the pack of new features under the “Google Search Generative Experience” umbrella.

Essentially, it allows you to search and ask for a trip to be planned. In a demo I saw, you could ask for it to plan a multi-day trip to Philadelphia and see results broken up by day and parts of the day (morning, afternoon, and evening). You’ll see suggested attractions to visit, such as restaurants, bars, and even cafes. It also integrates with Google Flights to show estimated costs, give some intel about when you’re looking to go and suggest hotels.

You can also type your search using natural language here—“plan a three-day trip to New York City in June” instead of “New York City summer activities.” The result is a curated list powered by generative AI that pulls from various resources, including reviews left on Google itself.

It’s available to try now but is still under the experimental umbrella, so it’s not yet a full release. Additionally, you can access the experience on your desktop or mobile device. Similarly, there are new curated lists within Maps for popular cities across the United States and Canada. These are made in partnership with Google and published by publications like The Infatuation and folks who left feedback within maps.

For instance, in New York City or San Francisco, you can find recommended spots to visit, and specifically for restaurants, there are three new list types: trending, top, and hidden gem.

A ‘Circle to Search’ expansion

Circle to Search is displayed on the Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Jacob Krol/TheStreet

If you are traveling with a Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, or a Galaxy S24 smartphone this summer, Circle to Search will be able to add support for translations. This means you can circle something like an address in an Instagram Reel or a photo on a story to quickly get it transcribed.

Google also announced that Circle to Search is arriving on more devices, including the Galaxy S23, S23+, S23 Ultra, S23 FE, Z Flip 5, and Z Fold 5. You can expect those devices to receive updates in the coming weeks for Circle to Search.

If you don’t have one of those supported devices, you can also use Google Lens to hold your phone’s camera up to something for a live translation as well.