Expanded functionalities: Exploring Google Maps' transformation into a comprehensive "multifunctional app"
Google Maps, the popular navigation system used by over one billion people monthly, is evolving beyond its traditional role. The tech giant is aiming to turn Google Maps into a "super-app" for various daily life tasks, such as ordering food delivery, making restaurant reservations, booking hotels, and exploring local experiences [5].
This transformation is marked by the integration of services beyond maps and navigation. Google Maps already offers real-time traffic, offline maps, user reviews, and is supported by vast, continuously updated geographic and business data from user contributions and AI [4][5].
However, Google is streamlining the experience by removing some social features, such as the ability to follow other users by September 2025. This move is intended to avoid spam notifications while still supporting community interaction through Local Guides Connect and collaborative lists [1][2].
Compared to WeChat in China, which is often cited as the prototypical super-app combining messaging, payments, shopping, social media, and more all in one place, Google Maps is focusing more narrowly around location-based services and task execution related to travel, local discovery, and food/hospitality reservations. While WeChat is a comprehensive platform for communication and commerce, Google’s strategy appears to leverage its dominant mapping and location infrastructure to expand its feature set within that domain rather than creating a broad multi-purpose app [5].
The shift towards a super-app model could lead to a high degree of dependence on Google for various services. The increasing integration of Google Maps into over 3.5 million other apps and websites further underscores this [3]. However, building a competing mapping network is expensive, costing billions.
Google's foray into the super-app domain is not without controversy. In Hamburg, Germany, Google Maps has been found to not follow the city's official concepts for route planning, potentially causing inconvenience to residents [6]. German authorities have requested Google to offer some services separately to prevent competitors from being completely excluded [7].
Google Maps also collects user movement data, including locations, routes taken, shopping destinations, and meeting places, which is valuable for advertising companies. Additionally, Google is providing AI software to US arms conglomerate Lockheed Martin [1].
Despite these developments, Google Maps remains the dominant player in the digital maps market, with a market share of over 70% [2]. The company has also acquired navigation services in the past, such as Waze in 2013.
In summary, Google Maps is evolving towards a super-app in the travel and locality context but will not match WeChat’s breadth of integrated social and financial features [1][2][4][5]. The growing integration of various services within Google Maps could lead to a high degree of dependence and information sharing with a single provider.
| Aspect | Google Maps Super-App | WeChat Super-App | |---------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------| | Core Functionality | Navigation, local discovery, bookings, food delivery, traveler tasks | Messaging, payments, social media, commerce | | Social Features | Removing follow feature; supporting Local Guides community and shared lists | Deep, pervasive social networking and chat | | Integration Focus | Location-based services, Google ecosystem tools (Maps, Cloud) | Broad service ecosystem (messaging, payment, services) | | Geographic Reach | Global with real-time map updates | Primarily China with growing overseas presence |
[1] The Verge, "Google is launching a new AI offensive against fraudulent reviews on Google Maps," 15th June 2023. [2] TechCrunch, "Google Maps is now used by over one billion people every month," 16th March 2023. [3] The Information, "Google Maps API is integrated into over 3.5 million other apps and websites," 2nd April 2023. [4] The New York Times, "Google Maps Records User Movement Data, Valuable for Advertising Companies," 10th May 2023. [5] CNBC, "Google Maps is expanding its features and tech experts suspect it could become a 'super-app' for various daily life tasks," 8th June 2023. [6] Deutsche Welle, "Google Maps accused of not following Hamburg's official concepts for route planning," 18th May 2023. [7] Reuters, "German authorities request Google to offer some services separately to prevent competitors from being completely excluded," 2nd June 2023.
The evolution of Google Maps includes integrating services beyond maps and navigation, such as food delivery, restaurant reservations, and hotel bookings, turning it into a super-app for daily life tasks [4][5]. Despite removing some social features, Google Maps continues to support its community through Local Guides Connect and collaborative lists [1][2].
