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Google Maps battles your indecisiveness with group planning feature

Use shortlists and sharing to figure out what to do without a long string of messages.

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The Google Maps application seen displayed on a Sony

Google Maps is helping groups people make decisions.

SOPA Images

Google Maps has added a group planning feature to help you figure out your plans without having a long string of messages about it.

The feature, which was released Wednesday, is designed to help groups of people make plans a little more easily. It allows everyone to weigh in on decisions about where to eat, drink or hang out.

You can create a shortcut of places and share it with friends.

Google

To use the feature, long press on a place to add it to a shortlist (a small floating bubble on the side of your screen).

Once the list is create, you can share it with friends -- everyone can continue to tweak the list after it's shared -- and vote on locations in Google Maps.

The group can add, remove and vote on the options.

Google

The group planning feature works on Google Maps for iOS and Android.

The app added phone battery status to its location sharing in August, allowing your contacts to see if you'll be cut off soon. Check our guide to some of Google Maps' other recent additions, which include alerts about trends and events happening in the area.

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