January 2025

Featured Update

Navigate Exteriors with Google Maps

Exterior maps are an essential resource for exploring multiple buildings or outdoor spaces. With this update, when you add an exterior map to your guide, it will be displayed as a Google Map by default.

You still have the option of uploading a static image for your map, but the ability to use Google Maps means that you’re no longer required to create and maintain your own exterior maps.

Google Maps has become the standard map for mobile devices, and offers your visitors a high-quality, up to date navigation experience by showing their live location in your outdoor setting.

Presenting Your Map

The Google Maps preview that you see in the CMS will contain a lot more information than what visitors will see in your guide. Your guide’s map is a clean, stylized rendering that only shows essential information.

To move the buildings and pins on your map, you can either drag and drop them, or enter custom coordinates.

If you don’t have an exterior map and want to add one, you can do that whenever you’d like. If you’re currently using a static image as your exterior map, and want to switch to using Google Maps, you’ll need to reach out to your Connects Partner Manager to change your map settings in the CMS. Keep in mind that when you reset your map, you’ll need to reposition all of your pins.

CMS Updates

The sidebar separates your Content and Assets into two categories to make it easier to get started and create the right piece of content for your guide.

App Updates

Better voice over support for visitors experiencing a guide in a language other than their device’s language (3.62.0).
In Internal Mode, a button on the Explore screen lets you select different versions of your guide. This makes it easier to see when you’re working on multiple drafts (3.61.0).
Audio descriptions now support rich text, like italics (3.61.0).
Added support for Suomi (Finnish) and Hmong languages (3.61.0).
Design updates more clearly indicate when an Item has audio or video in it (3.61.0).
General performance improvements make the app faster (3.61.0).

Bug Fixes

Recalibrated the scroll sensitivity on the Explore page, which was causing accidental taps (3.62.0).
Addressed an issue that caused the app to randomly crash in rare scenarios (3.62.0).
Fixed a bug that displayed the wrong Draft/Live label for guides in Internal Mode (3.62.0).
Addressed reports of the “Directions” button not working for some addresses (3.61.0).
Fixed a bug where screen readers were making unexpected location announcements (3.61.0).