What it’s essential know
- Google has introduced plans to take away quite a lot of options from Android, and the newest one is Close by Locations.
- Close by Locations within the Cellphone by Google app permits customers to go looking the identify of a enterprise proper within the app, bypassing Google Search or Maps.
- Google says the characteristic wasn’t utilized by many and that going ahead, Google Search and Maps would be the solution to discover enterprise numbers.
Google is understood for killing off merchandise, companies, and options usually, however latest months have been significantly powerful for Android customers. In January, the corporate introduced that Google Assistant would lose 17 options. Now, the Cellphone by Google app is the newest casualty, with the Close by Locations characteristic set to be eliminated “within the coming months.”
The modifications had been introduced by Google within the neighborhood boards for the Cellphone app, as noticed by 9to5Google. “We have discovered solely a really small variety of individuals use this characteristic, and the overwhelming majority of customers go to Google Search or Maps when searching for business-related cellphone numbers,” the put up stated. “These experiences additionally present richer outcomes and get in touch with information for these companies.”
When you aren’t aware of Close by Locations, the characteristic primarily works like a digital phonebook. You’ll be able to search the names of companies within the Cellphone app and uncover cellphone numbers for these companies with out having them in your contacts. It is partly location-based, pulling the numbers of native outlets and eating places robotically.
Utilizing the Close by Locations characteristic as a substitute of utilizing Google Search and Maps can save customers a number of seconds. Nonetheless, as Google itself notes, the latter choices are sometimes extra correct. Moreover, Google’s official steerage for individuals who use Close by Locations is to modify to Google Search and Maps as a substitute.
The characteristic is being eliminated in order that Google can add higher options to the Cellphone app, not less than in keeping with the corporate. New options powered by synthetic intelligence could come to the Cellphone app this yr.
“We’re sunsetting this characteristic in order that our crew can deal with constructing the very best high quality, most dependable, and most modern experiences in cellphone calling,” Google stated within the put up.
Google highlighted a number of the AI-based options it has shipped for the Cellphone app, together with Name Display screen, Maintain For Me, and Direct My Name. Google says there’s “much more deliberate for 2024.”
We are able to solely assume that Google’s feedback allude to extra AI options coming to the Cellphone app sooner or later this yr.
The corporate’s rationalization for eradicating Close by Locations is identical one it used for eradicating 17 options from Google Assistant. In that occasion, it stated that the options had been “underutilized.” This time, it stated that solely a small variety of customers took benefit of Close by Locations.
The characteristic removals additionally come as Google continues company-wide layoffs.
