Google has introduced a new feature for Google Contacts. It is now possible to share your location with your loved ones in real time.
You can now share your location in real time in Google Contacts // Source: Montage Frandroid
Whether you’re running late for an appointment or want to reassure a loved one when they get home, location sharing can be a very handy feature. In addition, we now find this function in numerous applications, be it Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or even Google Maps. On the part of Google, the company has decided to go one step further and integrate this function directly into its Google Contacts address book application.
As the Android Central website reports, the latest version of the application now allows you to share your location directly with one of your contacts using a special button: “Location sharing”. It is on the same level as the three classic buttons for making calls, sending a message or making a video call.
Location sharing is limited to one hour
Additionally, in the contact file itself, you can find your contact’s real-time location if he or she has chosen to share it with you. Of course, for reasons of confidentiality and respect for private life, it is only possible to access the location of a contact if they have chosen to share it with you, and this does not happen by default and at no time. In addition, as with most applications with identical functionality, location sharing can only take a maximum of 60 minutes. A good way to avoid confidentiality concerns if the person forgets to stop sharing, but also to save smartphone battery.
Specifically: When you share your location, the person you send it to has direct access to a small Google Map that appears in your contact card. It is then possible to track your geolocation in real time. A feature specified by Android Central that is different from that of Google Messages and simply shows your location at a specific time.
This feature could find many uses in the future, be it returning from the evening completely safe, sharing your location with your partner before going for a jog, meeting in a crowded place or alerting relatives, we promise are not far from the meeting point.