Get ready: A huge new Bing Maps upgrade is coming

Get ready: A huge new Bing Maps upgrade is coming

Here are the details on exactly how Bing is completely changing up its approach to Maps.

Microsoft is looking to take a bit out of Google Maps with a big upgrade to its alternative, Bing Maps, that will mean some major changes for the software.

Instead of focusing on routing, the new Bing Maps will be more focused on travel planning as most people tend to look up directions on their smartphone, and a couple of new features indicate that it is looking to better define its niche in the market, according to a TechCrunch report.

Bing Maps will now organize searches into cards, remembering past searches and allowing you to switch between results. Bing Maps will also keep a record of searches on the map, allowing you to see where certain places are in relation to each other despite being part of different searches.

Bing is trying to tap into people who want to know where multiple places are on a trip, and this new feature may allow people to better predict the optimal time to leave based on how long it would take to travel and historical data on traffic.

In addition, Bing Maps will now highlight hotels, restaurants, and gas stations that are near your route, something that Google Maps doesn’t offer.

Much of Bing Maps’ image collection assets have since been sold off to car ride service Uber, but there is still the Streetside project, a competitor to Google’s Street View. Now, you can get a split-screen mode that allows you to see the map at the bottom and the street view at the top.

There will also be changes to the layout that make it more of a touchscreen-friendly program and you will be able to share these searches with friends more easily.

One thing missing: Microsoft’s 3D Maps, which were on the Bing Maps desktop preview for Windows 8 but seem to be absent from this new update.

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