It’s worth noting, however, that this isn’t available through the usual channels. To gain access, you have to be on the Skip Ahead option of Windows 10’s Fast Ring. The addition was announced by employee Dave_MSFT on Reddit, alongside the screenshot you see above. The prevalence of this functionality will depend on your region. U.S. users should be good, but those in some European countries, Japan, and Austrailia may be out of luck. Mobile users will also have to wait.
Not in All Regions
Hopefully, Microsoft will extend this feature out to other regions over time, as well as other missing ones. The team has steadily been working on adding new functionality, and now supports the following:
“Get driving, walking and public transport directions. See multiple searches together on one map, including addresses, businesses, restaurants, hotels and local attractions. Add notes, drawings and annotations to your road-view map with Windows Ink. Choose alternative routes to avoid things such as traffic, tolls or transfers in driving and public transport directions. Hear turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation on GPS-enabled devices. When you arrive, let Maps help you remember where you parked your car. Pin your home, work or other favourite places to Start for one-tap guided directions from anywhere. Download maps to use them even without the Internet. See your favourites, collections and search history across all your Windows PCs and phones. Explore the world in 3D with detailed imagery of more than 200 cities and landmarks. See 360° panoramas of a place with Streetside views. See current traffic, cameras and incidents on the map and plan your trip accordingly. See airport gates, shops and more in indoor venue maps. Get detailed business info such as phone numbers, directions, addresses, business hours and reviews. Print and share step-by-step driving and walking directions.”
Windows Maps may not be level with Google in some regards, but transit stops currently offers more instant information, so it’s a good pick if you’re in a supported country. You can grab the latest version from the Windows Store.
