Microsoft has released a major update to its Windows Maps app, as promised.
Earlier in the week a Microsoft engineer took to Reddit to tip an overhaul of the company's Maps app for Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile. This was sorely needed, given that Here Maps recently announced that it would be discontinuing support for Windows platforms at the end of March.
Fortunately for Windows users, Microsoft has been true to its word. The Windows 10 Maps app has been updated with a bunch of new features. Windows Insiders will see the changes first, as usual, followed by a general roll-out.
The biggest addition is multiple search functionality. This lets you view several searches on a single map view simultaneously. As the Microsoft blog post explains, this will be useful for things like looking for hotels and restaurants together, or planning a night out on the town.
Related: Windows 10 Mobile review
You can also view multiple searches at the same time as directions, either layered on top of each other or in multiple tabs.
The navigation experience has also been customised for desktop and mobile. It's now positioned at the top on desktop and the bottom on mobile, which fits with how people use the app differently on each.
Microsoft has made a number of other, lesser improvements to its Maps app, including searchable 3D cities, offline favourites, improved public transit directions, and easier-to-follow turn-by-turn directions.
