Google Maps now notifies the user's location along with the battery percentage of their device

August 4, 2018

Google Maps as we know it, allows us to share our location with another user in real time. However, Google has "enhanced" this feature. Now, when we share the location with another user, apart from our location, they will also be able to see the battery percentage of our device.

The discovery was first made by Android police, which found that we can now not only see the location of the contact we're sharing our location with, but also how much battery is left in their device. Sharing location is a very useful feature, as it allows us to see where the person in question is and also informs us of their approximate time of arrival.

The new indicator appears in the information bar of the contact we are "tracking" and tells us whether the user is charging their device.

If we look at the positive side of the new feature we should smile, since now judging by the user's battery percentage we will be able to know that if, for example, his location is not updated or if he doesn't call us, it will be because the device ran out of battery.

It can also give us the opportunity to call the person we're tracking as soon as we see that their device is about to run out of battery.

The function of displaying the remaining battery percentage is unique to Google Android phones or the Google Maps app. Apple phones have the "Find Friends" service although iPhone users who prefer Google Maps are able to see the new information.

If we want to disable the location sharing feature and the display of our device's battery percentage to the users we are in contact with, we can do so from within the Google Maps app by tapping Menu > Location sharing. From here we delete the contacts we don't want to see our details.

Many will hate and many will love this new Google addition. However, it is still a feature that keeps us better informed, giving us even more and more useful details about the people with whom we share a location on Google Maps.