Google Maps for Android adds nearby traffic widget [U: Live]

Abner Li | Jul 7 2022 - 8:26 am PT

Google said today that its first-party apps offer over 30 widgets on Android. An upcoming widget from Google Maps will provide the latest on nearby traffic at your current location.

Update 7/7: The Google Maps Nearby Traffic widget is now widely rolling out via a server-side update. It can cover an entire homescreen or be as small as 3×2. The background abides by the system-level light/dark theme, while a tap immediately opens Google Maps to the Traffic layer.

The FAB in the bottom-right corner lets you zoom-in/out. Lastly, this widget requires you to grant “Allow all the time” Location access.

Original 6/15: The preview provided today is of a rounded square that shows a map with your current location marked by a blue dot at the center. Just like the Traffic map layer in the full app, Google will note the state of things with green, orange, and red lines.

A floating action button (FAB), which is themed with Dynamic Color, in the bottom-right corner lets you zoom in (and out), while the Google logo appears in the bottom-left corner.

…you’ll see this information for your current location right from your Android Home screen. So if you’re about to leave home, work, school or anywhere else, you’ll know at a glance exactly what local traffic might be like.

Google today only provided us with one look, and it’s most likely 2 x 2 in size. It’s not clear whether this widget is resizable and joins the one to “Quickly find nearby places.”

The nearby traffic widget is coming to Google Maps for Android “in the coming weeks.” A similar one launched in the iOS app last year, but “Know before you go” is broader with the ability to “Check latest traffic conditions, see location details, store opening times, restaurant reviews, and more.”