Through the official Google Maps blog, Google announced the release of a new feature on the mapping service that will allow users to keep track of the places where they have been and the roads taken to get to those places.
Named Your Timeline, the feature is being gradually rolled out to the desktop website of Google Maps and its Android app, according to Gerard Sanz, the product manager for the mapping service.
"Your Timeline allows you to visualize your real-world routines, easily see the trips you've taken and get a glimpse of the places where you spend your time," Sanz wrote.
People that also use Google Photos will also have the pictures that they have taken while looking at a certain day appear, which will help users remember what they did that day and where they went.
Your Timeline is a private feature that is only visible to the user, with the user also having the power to control which locations are kept on the feature. Users can decide to delete a whole day or the entire history of their timeline.
Other changes that users can make on the feature include editing the locations that appear on their timeline, with modifications such as deleting a certain location or giving a name to frequently visited places. The named locations will then be displayed on Google Maps every time the user signs in to the service.
Your Timeline for desktop computers and Android devices can only be accessed, however, by users that decided to store their Location History information on Google. Users that have the setting enabled should be receiving assistance from other Google products such as notifications on Google Now for nearby traffic accidents and the location of parked vehicles. Your Timeline will put more use to this data while also giving users more control and an easier access to it.
The feature will likely be a welcome addition for users that already have Location History data activated, but for users that are more conscious about the privacy of personal data, it would serve as a reminder for them to check all their privacy and security settings if they are set up in a way that suits them.
Fortunately, Google released a new website last month called My Account, which simplifies how users can view and adjust all settings related to their Google accounts. Among other things, users can manage the information that can be accessed by services such as Google Maps, Search and YouTube.
