9mo ago

Google Maps is over! The tech giant complies with EU orders to remove navigation services from search results

Google Maps is over! The tech giant complies with EU orders to remove navigation services from search results - Jason Deegan

For years, Google Maps has been a go-to tool for millions worldwide, seamlessly integrated into search results for instant access to directions, locations, and more. But if you’ve noticed something missing recently, you’re not imagining things. Due to European Union regulations, Google has been forced to remove its Maps functionality from its search results, marking a significant shift in how we interact with the tech giant’s ecosystem.

64 comments

I understand the why of this but this is not an improvement. I suppose search engines should ask you which maps provider you want and then show results based on that.
- I suppose search engines should ask you which maps provider you want and then show results based on that.
  Google could have done that, but they chose to go this router to inconvenience users, so that they then could blame the EU for this.
- Like... and hear me out.... save the preference with some sort of Cookie technology? Do you think the EU would be up for that?
  
  I can't tell whether you're being intentionally ironic. Yes the EU would be up for it. The EU didn't ban cookies. Putting it simply, you do not need a cookie banner if you aren't tracking people.
  
  If you want to store your map preferences, save the preferences to your account and make sure you're logged in.
  I'm not saying anything like this is preferable or whatever but there's also little sense in removing all semblance of user experience in favour of removing power from tech giants.
how is it over? you just type in maps.google.com like you used to type in mapquest.con
- But I still type in maps.google.com already because I don't use Google search. But I still use maps.
  Google maps is the best True dat. Double true.
  
  Used to be, Waze is consistently better at producing faster routes now at least in the UK. I keep meaning to try out others like organic though.
Is this news? The "Maps" tab has been missing from my search results for a while here in Germany.
- Same in Denmark
"Over" my ass...
EU working as intended
It is also a pain in the arse for a normal user. When I search for a local plumber, instead of typing my query into the address bar, I need to go to maps.google.com first, and search there. These days, half of my searches are for businesses (the other half for spelling or correct usage of a difficult word), and all those searches now need to be made directly on the map page.
- For a user who never uses maps or a user who always uses maps, this has no effect.
  It's for those who use both integrated, but thats pretty rare nowdays. Much easier to ask maps "restaurants near me, plumbers open near me" than having to watch gemini type something out and "rate your plumber" forums, or worse aggregated yelp links.
  Nobody will be affected by this, except maybe our data to be harder to mismanage. The headline is stupid.
- You can reactivate the map integration in your Google account settings. Something called "Linked Google services", check "maps".
Didn't even notice. Well done EU.
That explains why I
Can't search for
<city>
and get a direct link to the maps + position
The toolbar of services missing maps entirely.
For all the things the EU does...What a stupid decision.
- This may feel bad short term but this is actually good long term. It opens up the possibility for competitors for similar map services to exist. When google combined their search engine product with their maps product, everyone had to automatically use their map product. This is very monopolistic
  
  But they had to take 20 years for that decision.
  
  True but still annoying.
  Wondered if I did something wrong and this happened well before I read about it here.
  
  For example in duckduckgo you can type "city !gm" and it will take you to Google maps search results for "city".
  You can also use ddg.gg as a quick way to be redirected to duckduckgo.com without having to type the whole thing
- Do you ever wonder why most Europeans has about 40 telecom companies offering you internet at your particular address? Regulation and anti-monopoly works.
Is this a big deal? I realize I have a skewed view because I dropped Google search ages ago, but... when I need maps results I go to a maps app, I never really relied on the search bar for that, even when I did use Google search.
That feature is now gone for users in the EU. Additionally, the Maps tab, once prominently displayed alongside Images and News, has also vanished.
Actually wild of the EU to force an inferior product on people. Glad I'm not there for once.
- No. Google did it this way so people would blame the EU. They also could just have added more choice to the interface but they rather wanted to remove it to show their users "how bad the EU is".
  Same thing with the cookie banners. EU said you should give your users the choice if they want to be tracked. And the companies build these ugly banners so everyone would blame the EU. But they could also just have stopped tracking their users.
  
  They also could just have added more choice to the interface but they rather wanted to remove it to show their users "how bad the EU is".
  Or maybe they just didn't want to actively support competing services?
- It's not about enforcing an inferior product - it's about enforcing the freedom of choice. The way google was forcing its services down everybodies throat led to a market where people didn't even know that something besides gMaps exists. Now competitors at least have some sort of chance.
  
  Ii get what you mean, but for the most part this will just inconvenience most people while also not making it any more convenient to use a competiting product.
  
  It would be freedom of choice if google was required to put an option to select the default map service in google search
I wonder whether alternative solutions were discussed: like Google retaining integration but breaking off Maps division into it's own entity that has to use same API's as everyone else and use the same integration points. Would've been more user-friendly thing to do.
It's been that way for months already. Maybe four or six I'd say.
Still showing up in Australia right now.
- Probably stay like that until Australia joins the EU
  
  Well they're in the EBU*, so that's only one letter off... maybe soon?
  ^(*an associate of the EBU, couldn't let my technically incorrect joke stand)
  
  LOL
I'm ok with this, I can live and love in my peasant existence without their hovering, seemingly inescapable help. If I have to do without Waze someday, that's a different story.
- I give waze less than a year.
  They've been putting the features into parity with maps They will eventually shut it down.
  
  Who will shut it down? (It's the least irritating map app.)

64 comments