Google removes the ability to chat with businesses on Google Maps

Since its launch, Google Maps has become more than just a navigation app. With a series of additional features, Google Maps has become a tool in connecting users with businesses. One of the notable features is the ability to chat directly with businesses, allowing users to easily contact and receive information immediately.

Although this feature received positive reception from users, Google decided to "kill" it due to the number of users not meeting expectations. This feature will officially be killed in January 2025. The notice of this change was discovered in the APK update of Google Maps. However, Google has not yet made an official announcement about this change.

According to some sources, Google has already begun removing this feature for some users. Many have noticed that the “Follow” button, which is part of the chat feature, has disappeared from the app. This means that the removal process has already begun and the January 2025 deadline is just an official deadline for the complete shutdown.

Launched in 2018, the Chat with Businesses feature on Google Maps allows users to follow businesses similar to Facebook, and stay updated with announcements, events, and offers from businesses they care about. However, Google has rarely improved this feature over the years. On its support page, Google doesn't even provide detailed instructions on how to follow a location, only instructions on how to unfollow.

However, users can still save their tracked locations through Google Takeout, which means those who regularly use the feature can still preserve their data before it is discontinued.

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/google-loai-bo-tinh-nang-tro-chuyen-voi-doanh-nghiep-tren-google-maps-post300440.html