Google updates Ask Maps in India with Hindi support, live transit updates and smarter trip planning
Google had introduced Ask Maps earlier this year, calling it the biggest change to Google Maps in more than a decade. The latest update builds on those capabilities and is rolling out to users in India.
Ask Maps now supports Hindi
One of the biggest additions is support for Hindi. Users can now ask questions, search for places and get recommendations in Hindi using everyday, natural language. Instead of typing keywords, people can ask questions the way they normally speak and receive responses in the same language.
Google says this will make it easier for users to discover nearby places, plan routes and get local information without switching languages.
Gmail integration brings personalised suggestions
Google is also adding Personal Intelligence to Ask Maps. With this feature, Maps can also be connected to a user’s Gmail account. Once enabled, the app can use details such as hotel bookings, flight information, and restaurant reservations to provide more relevant and personalised suggestions.
For example, if you have a hotel booking and a flight scheduled later in the day, Ask Maps can recommend nearby places to visit and even suggest when you should leave for the airport. Google says this integration is optional and remains turned off by default. Users have to enable it manually if they want to use the feature.
The company also said it plans to expand Personal Intelligence support to other Google apps, including Calendar, in the future.
Ask Maps can remember previous conversations
Another addition is conversation memory. If chat history is enabled, Ask Maps can remember earlier interactions, making it easier to continue planning a trip without starting over.
For instance, if you had previously asked for places to visit during a holiday, you can later ask Maps to recall those recommendations instead of entering the same prompts again. This feature is available only when history settings are turned on.