Google Maps Lets You Keep Tabs On Stores Instead Of Them Tracking You

Almost all businesses these days keep track of customers and even just visitors, especially online. Of course, not everyone agrees to this now common practice and disable online tracking, like what Mozilla just provided in the latest Firefox release. Now Google is turning the tables a bit on those businesses. With the new feature in Google Maps' "For You" tab, users will be able to track stores, locations, and businesses, too. Of course, they'll only see what store owners want to show them.

We all have our favorite stores and places we go to. Sometimes those have offers and deals we won't know about until we get there or if we have surrendered our phone numbers and email addresses to them. Wouldn't it be nice to get updates on those locations just like we get updates for news and weather and celebrity gossip?

That's exactly what the new "Follow" button in Google Maps lets you do. Once followed, you can see the latest events and offers from those businesses on the Android app's "For You" tab. Not seeing that tab? Don't panic because it's not actually available for all markets yet, though Google promises they're coming soon.

Meanwhile, Google Maps does have a new feature for all Android and mobile Search users but not for all locations. If a store is just about to open, you can check exactly when that will happen by looking at the date in orange.

It doesn't happen automatically for all places, though. Owners will have to create a free Business Profile and set an opening date there. The feature will still be rolling out in the coming weeks so be sure to keep checking on Maps and Search for that info.