Yandex Maps launched real-time geoposition broadcasting

Yandex Maps has gotten a real-time location tracking feature. Users can share their movement around the city with friends and family for a selected period – from 15 minutes to a permanent broadcast. The feature works in the app’s main interface without switching modes.

• Broadcasting is available for a period of 15 minutes to a day or permanently
• Recipients see the pin on the map and can build a route to the user
• The feature is built into the main interface without separate applications

Users choose how long to share a location for. You can broadcast for 15 minutes or an hour, which is convenient when meeting in a new place or when you need to cross paths with someone who’s already walking around the city. You can also share geo-position for eight hours and a day, so you don’t lose each other at an event or while traveling. You can also turn on continuous broadcasting, which allows loved ones to see the location on the map all the time.

And you can share your geo-location with someone who’s already walking around.

“The scenario of being able to share your location is already familiar to the market. In Maps, we’ve made it as simple and intuitive as possible. There are no unnecessary elements, no need to download a separate app or switch to another mode – everything works in the main interface. We are confident that the feature will help users find each other more easily on an already familiar map and in the city,” said Anton Lyamin, head of the Search and Place Selection team in Yandex Maps.

To share your geo-position, just click on your location. Maps will then prompt you to share the location with friends and family, and they’ll see the pin on their map. You can also send the location via your profile under “Geo-location” or by taking a screenshot of the area of the map where the user is located.

You can end a broadcast at any time. To do this, go to the “Geoposition” section of your profile or click on your location. When you select the desired broadcast, the “End” button will appear. When the broadcast is complete, the user’s pin will disappear from your friends’ map.

The feature is available to authorized users in the Yandex Maps mobile app on iOS and Android.