Addresses are something most of us take for granted. These strings of numbers and words make it easy to navigate practically anywhere. However, as magical as addresses may seem, they do have limits. Not every location has an address that can be easily shared. Google Maps is hoping to fix that with "Plus Codes."

According to Google, 2 billion people don't have an address or their address isn't easy to locate. Google actually started to tackle this problem back in 2015, when they originally launched Plus Codes. A Plus Code is essentially a digital address and it's derived from latitude and longitude coordinates. A Plus Code can be generated for any location.

Google is now integrating Plus Codes into Google Maps for Android. To create a Plus Code, simply tap the blue dot on the map that represents your current location. You'll be brought to a screen that shows the six-digit Plus Code along with some other useful info and options. You can then copy the code and share it with others. Much easier than finding coordinates or enabling location-tracking.

Plus Codes can also be generated by long-pressing any location on the map to drop a pin. You can find a location using a Plus Code by entering it in Google Search or Google Maps. These codes are completely free to use and open source. You never have to use a strange description to help someone navigate to your location again. There are certain places in the world that can really benefit from these digital addresses.

[appbox googleplay com.google.android.apps.maps&hl=en]


Source: Google