Google is keeping the Google Maps updates coming with a new widget that offers you shortcuts to nearby stores and your most visited locations.
This is because widgets are set to make a big comeback with Android 12, with playback controls for YouTube Music, links to your favourite websites, and travel clocks all getting a Material You refresh.
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The widget was spotted by Reddit user u/neilAndNotNail and was found in Maps v11.3.0, the latest beta version of the app.
It’s a grid-shaped control panel with shortcuts to personalized locations like Home and Work, along with nearby petrol stations, grocery stores, and restaurants.
There's also a search bar along the top of the widget that makes it easy to look for anything else without even opening the app.
It’s similar to the Maps widget on iOS, just with more options. The widget, of course, makes us of Material You, which is the new design language in Android 12.
According to XDA (opens in new tab), the widget will eventually show up on Android 11 phones as well, using a standard blue colour in place of the dynamic colourway.
Would you use this new widget? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.
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