Bing rolled out a completely redesigned version of Bing Maps that’s out today in preview mode for people who opt in to use it.
Bing states its redesign was inspired by user feedback — and judging by some of the new features there’s little doubt the company felt pressure to keep up with other leading services like Google Maps.
Bing’s new Maps product comes with improved search functionality, with the ability to search, view and share multiple places at one time.
A useful new feature unique to Bing Maps is its ability to let you search for multiple locations, across multiple categories, and organize your searched-for locations in card format. This is useful for comparing locations based on distance and review score, or for planning an outing that involves multiple stops.
Bing Maps’ new search functionality allows you to explore whatever’s around you, from restaurants, to tourist attractions, to places of business. This is an improvement over Google’s cumbersome restrictions of only displaying locations on a map one category at a time.
Another unique new feature is ‘Along the Route’, which is designed to alert travellers of stops that may be of interest along their planned route. Unlike Google’s search nearby feature, Along the Route will alert you of locations that fit into multiple categories
Many of the other new features announced today will be familiar to Google Maps users. Here’s a quick rundown of each:
- Review scores and photos included in search results
- Get estimated travel times according to traffic conditions
- “Streetside” views, similar to Google’s street view
- Ability to save favorite destinations
- Ability to share travel plans with others
To explore the new features for yourself, head over to www.bing.com/mapspreview, or get acquainted in the launch video below:
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Used Under License
