This New Google Maps Feature Puts Food Porn To Good Use  

Move over Instagram and Twitter, Google Maps is in the house. According to recent reports, Google has begun test driving a feature that is linked to the Google Maps app that will allow people to share food photographs from restaurants directly through Google Maps.

When taking a photograph at a restaurant or bar that is charted on Google Maps, a notification will pop up asking if the user would like to upload this photograph on Google Maps. After a few uploads, Google Maps will have a database that will show travellers visuals of what to expect at the restaurant that they are visiting.

Instructions for using the feature are already up on a Google support page saying “these notifications show up after you’ve taken a photo in public places that Google thinks are interesting to other people, like restaurants and bars. To get these notifications, you need Location History turned on.” The support page also advises users on the kind of photographs that should be uploaded, suggesting they be in focus and to avoid selfies and group photographs.

Considering the amount of people that use Google Maps, one would expect that Google cannot monitor that all the photographs are related to food. It has been suggested that Google Maps may expand the feature to include other popular destinations such as architectural attractions or beaches.

At present, however, Google Maps is focused on foodographs. It has also only informed select users about the feature – Google Local Guides (those who have written fifty or more reviews on maps) are the only ones who have been officially informed.

We predict that the move will prove popular with the hoi polloi in the future. After all, when visiting a restaurant, we tend to photograph the food and then let it sit on our phone for an eternity. This development will allow us to put our indulgent food porn to good use.