Google Maps will now start showing air quality index (AQI) data on Android and iOS. This feature, which first appeared in the test version last year, is currently active in the USA and India, and it is thought that the air quality index will be available in other countries soon.
The feature can be viewed as a new map layer accessible by tapping the circular button and recommendations band just below the search bar. Browsing the Air Quality layer takes the user away from the current Google Maps view. In this layer, the pins appear above the widest positions, and it is enough to tap any color-coded dot to view a particular site.
In this feature, a statistic from 0 to 400 has been added to the application and a color criterion is created according to the air quality thanks to the statistics. In other words, the colors are determined according to the quality of the air. Let's say you see a green area somewhere, which means that the air there is of good quality. As the color changes and eventually turns red, we can say that the air is of poor quality there.
Swiping up on the page also helps list nearby air quality stations. Data are from the Environmental Protection Agency and PurpleAir in the USA. However, Google now states that a search for forest fires near me can show useful information about the fire as well as associated air quality information. Google says it will add smoke data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) across the US to the air quality information in Google Search in the coming months.
This feature is currently not used in Turkey.
Source: webrazzi.com
