Leave it to Google to continue to make things easier for us. The search giant has now introduced a text messaging feature to its Maps app in an effort to allow easier communication with businesses
that we want to seek information from.

This new addition to Google Maps is an expansion to the already-established B2B messaging feature that is now available on Business Profiles on Google. It appears that the messages communicated with Businesses will be automatically synched with the users’ personal Google Maps account, while still keeping your personal messages separate. This option to send messages with Business can be found on the side menu of both Google Maps for iOS and Android.

While the aforementioned launching is specifically for customers, Businesses on the other hand are encouraged to download and install the Google My Business app from the App Store or Google Play in order to interact with interested parties with inquiries.

Google has been aggressively adding features to its tried-and-true Google Maps. Before this messaging capacity, the firm added an easy-to-access ETA-sharing feature with your contacts. In addition, the firm also made it easier to share your exact location and your route with non-Google based third-party apps such as Facebook Messenger, Line, and Whatsapp. Once the journey ends, Maps will stop sharing your live location with the contact.

However, these additions to Google Maps has incurred the wrath of tech critics, who chastise Google for cluttering the beloved app. Besides that, commentators have also noted that this appears to be another move by Google to end Yelp.

For now, Aditya Tendulkar, the project manager at Google kept it light in an official blog post to announce this new feature on Maps. “With these messages in Maps, you’ll never have to worry about accidentally sending “I love you, Mom” to that shoe store you’ve been sending messages to,” he joked.

Messaging on Google Maps will be rolled out in stages.