A Google Maps beta had a neat feature in testing to help users remember where they parked their cars, but it's apparently no longer in the mix.
The feature was called "Save Your Parking" and, as the name itself suggested, it aimed to help users find their parking space faster in case they forgot where they left their car. The feature stirred quite some interest as it could be greatly useful particularly in crowded areas with a slew of parked cars.
The feature allowed Google Maps beta users to manually save the location of their parking space by tapping the blue dot icon in the Maps app. Users were able to save the precise coordinates, add notes, take photos of the car and surrounding location, or set countdown timers for metered parking lots.
The functionality was pretty well-rounded and quite accurate, albeit one downside was that users had to manually add all details. Even so, it seemed like a great option to have and it seemed far better than the regular method Google Maps relies on for saving parking information.
Google Maps Parking Feature Removed
Nevertheless, after just 10 days of testing, Google has apparently removed the Save Your Parking feature from the Google Maps beta channel. The feature vanished the same way it appeared — quietly, without any announcement or explanation.
The parking reminders initially rolled out with the Google Maps beta version 9.49 earlier this month. After that version, the Google Maps beta app received upgrades to versions 9.49.1 and 9.49.2, but it remains unclear which of the two removed the Save Your Parking feature. Google could have also removed the feature through a server-side update, but it's tough to tell since there were no announcements at all.
Either way, the Save Your Parking feature is no longer part of the Google Maps beta, which indicates that the testing did not go as well as Google might have hoped. The functionality is gone without a trace, and it's been replaced by a new option called Share Your Location, which allows users to temporarily share their real-time location with others.
There's Still Hope
It remains to be seen whether the Save Your Parking feature is gone for good or it's just paused for a little more polishing before giving it another go. Considering that Google never really made any announcement regarding this parking feature in the Google Maps beta, it's possible that the functionality is still in development rather than scraped off altogether.
If Google does plan to keep working on the functionality and re-add it at a later date, more information could become available in the near future. Until that happens (if it does), however, the Save Your Parking feature is no longer part of the Google Maps beta.
Did you manage to try it out before it was removed? If so, how did it perform? Drop by our comments section below and leave us a message to tell us about your experience with Google Maps' Save Your Parking beta feature.
