Tech Telecom

Do you try avoiding long queues or think about best time to go grocery shopping, restaurant or to pick up coffee? Google’s “Popular Times” feature shows this information. Now the feature is real-time, meaning you can check the status of occupancy of the place at any time before stepping out.

Along with that real-time feature, Google will also clarify how long people typically stay in one place, so you can plan your day around that. All this information is available in Maps and search.

For example, search “Café Coffee Day”, tap on the title and see how busy it gets throughout the day. The feature will show a section “Live” with a pink bar in the graph showing the occupancy in the current time.

“…we’re adding a real-time look at how crowded a place is right now, to help you decide where and when to go. Whether you’re rushing to pick up a last minute gift or seeking a lively bar for some festive spirit, check Popular Times for a sneak preview of what to expect when you arrive,” Google said in a blog post announcing the real-time feature.

“Since introducing the Popular Times feature in Google Search and Maps last year, you’ve been able to check how busy a place typically is at different times of the week,” Google said in a statement. “Just in time for the Black Friday swarms, we’re adding a real-time look at how crowded a place is right now, to help you decide where and when to go,” it added.

In case you are wondering how the Popular Times feature work in real time, Google said that it uses anonymised location data from smartphones to estimate how many people are present at any given location in real time. The anonymous tracking works only when users opt-in to store location data.

Google also shows the usual duration of time people stay in the place. Using these estimates, the visitors can decide if to visit the place or not. Moreover, stores sometimes have multiple hours for different departments and special services.

“That way you can plan your itinerary to the minute. After all, you want to be sure you leave enough time to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate at your local sweets shop before heading to your dinner reservations,” Google added.

Share your views in the comments on how you find this information and its usefulness.