Google Maps is launching a new feature that generates a unique six-digit code based on your location.
This code can be given and used by others when you are away from the traditional street address. This is called “plus code” and is available with a blue circle icon that represents your location in the app. How To Make Google Maps Makes It Easier To Share Your Location Without An Address 2020
Plus codes are designed for countries where address identification can be difficult due to a lack of street names. Google says
That can be a problem when the emergency services are trying to respond to incidents, and has implications for everyday needs, such as mail delivery. According to the company, more than 2 billion people worldwide either have no address or have an address that is not easy to find. How To Make Google Maps Makes It Easier To Share Your Location Without An Address 2020
Plus codes have been in Google Maps for a while, but so far, the main way to access them is to drop a red pin somewhere. Tapping the PIN also shows the location plus pulse code, along with latitude, longitude, and street address (if applicable).
Plus codes usually come in the form of a series of digits that include the city symbol as well as the name of the city or town where it is located.
For example, “HR8P + 84 London” is the plus code for a place in the middle of Hampstead Park in north London. If there is no town nearby, the town name can be changed to a four-digit area code, and an additional character can be added to narrow the location further.
A code can be changed to a location by entering it into the Google Maps search box. According to the Plus Codes website, it works offline, and the technology is open source under the Apache 2.0 license, meaning other developers can add technology to their apps. How To Make Google Maps Makes It Easier To Share Your Location Without An Address 2020
An example of a place where the plus code can be useful can be found in last year’s BBC article, where a journalist describes the process of giving his address to set up a bank account in The Gambia. They lived in an unnumbered house on an unknown street, and instead of writing down their address, they
“In the case of the nearest places, the place of your home” was asked to be drawn. Google and Addressing the Uneducated NGO have revealed how the Plus Codes were used in 2018 to help address a community in Kolkata, India.How To Make Google Maps Makes It Easier To Share Your Location Without An Address 2020
Plus codes are not the only technology trying to solve this problem. Watt3Words adopts a similar approach, but it displays its digital addresses at intervals in the form of three words.
Although Wat3Words supports a number of different mapping services, its digital addresses cannot be entered directly into Google Maps. How To Make Google Maps Makes It Easier To Share Your Location Without An Address 2020
In February, Google CEO Sundar Pachai described Plus Codes as an important part of working with Google Maps for more people around the world. The CEO wrote, “Digital addresses will allow more people to access things like banking and emergency services.”
Receive personal mail and delivery, and help people find and patronize their business. “” It’s still in its infancy, but we’re excited about its potential. ” How To Make Google Maps Makes It Easier To Share Your Location Without An Address 2020
