Google Maps is more than just a navigation app, as it contains a treasure trove of data about locations across the globe. But, suddenly, Google Maps appears to be changing how it functions for users who are signed out, including hiding reviews and images.
As noticed by a few Google Maps users on Reddit over the past week, a “limited view” mode now kicks in if you’re not signed into a Google account.
Google says in a pop-up that you might see this view in cases where Google Maps is “experiencing issues,” if “unusual traffic” is detected on your network, or if browser extensions interfere, with Google then adding that “Signing in to Google Maps might help you avoid seeing this limited experience again.”
The difference in functionality between the signed-in and signed-out versions of Google Maps are stark, to stay the least.
Looking at a State Park in NC, the signed-in version of Maps shows nearby hotels, rentals, and user photos, as well as some facts about the area. The signed-out version shows almost none of this, and even removes a bunch of nearby businesses and attractions from the map itself.
Moving over to a restaurant, there are even more differences. The signed-out Google Maps listing still shows key details such as address, hours, a phone number, and more, but it’s missing a lot of the information found on the signed-in version. That includes:
- Dine-in/Takeout/Delivery status
- User reviews
- Popular times
- User photos & videos
- Menus
- Related locations
Again, it’s a huge difference in the experience, with the lack of reviews perhaps being the most impactful loss. Google Maps has, over the years, built up a huge repository of user reviews of local businesses and locations, and that information is incredibly valuable.
Google hasn’t publicly commented on the change, but we’ll update this article if there are any updates.
More on Google Maps:
- Gemini app rolling out richer, more visual Google Maps results
- Google Maps parking location now automatically saves on iOS, adds custom icons
- Google Maps Power Saving mode rolling out to Pixel 10
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