Have you ever wondered how will you direct someone to your current location without knowing the address of that place? Worry not, Google is there for your rescue. Claiming that nearly 2 billion people on the planet—about 25 percent of us or more —either don’t have an address or have an address that isn’t easy to locate, Google has now made it easier for anyone with an Android device to share their location using Plus Codes in Google Maps.
According to the tech giant, “People who use Google Maps might be familiar with the blue dot that represents their current location. Simply tap the blue dot to get a Plus Code for your current location that can be shared with others as easily as giving them a phone number.”
It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Plus Codes are free, digital address for anywhere. It is a simple alphanumeric code which can be combined with a locality (for example: FWM8+V9, Ibadan, Nigeria). “They look like a regular address, but with a short code where a street name or number would be. Beyond using the blue dot, you can also find the Plus Code for a location by tapping and holding the map to drop a pin at a location you want a Plus Code for,” as revealed by Google. Moreover, Plus Codes are searchable on Google Maps and even Google Search.
Mind you! These digital location identifiers are free to use, available offline and can be printed on paper, posters and signs. It must be noted that the technology to generate Plus Codes is also open source. Therefore, anyone can see how the technology works and create their own applications for any use.
In time of emergency or crisis situations, Plus Codes can be especially helpful for people and organizations as help can reach you easily during such critical time. With Plus Codes, not only can people share their location quickly even without an address, but they can now do so by simply opening up Google Maps and tapping on the blue dot to view, copy and share their Plus Code location. A Plus Code can then be entered into Google Maps to help locate and navigate to that location.
Digital locations through Plus Codes means that everywhere now has an easily identifiable location, saving time and getting resources there when it really matters. Google emphasised that not having an address should no longer be a barrier to easily sharing your location with service providers, guiding them to you when you most need them.
In order to try this latest update, Android users can download the latest version of the Google Maps app from the Play Store.
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