Google app is losing a “Nearby Places” feature that “allowed business name search queries entered into the Phone app.
Google Phone app removing Nearby Places
Google says “only a very small number of people use this feature” as the “vast majority of users go to Google Search or Maps when seeking business-related phone numbers.”
The official workaround is as follows: “For existing users of Nearby Places in the Phone by Google app, you can easily fulfill the same needs by typing a local business name into Google Search or Google Maps, which provides even more helpful information beyond phone numbers, such as address/directions, website info, and more.”
In 2023, Hold For Me and Direct My Call also expanded to additional countries. Looking ahead, Google says “there’s a lot more planned for 2024.”
The deprecation of Nearby Places is happening “in the coming months” for stable users of Phone by Google. As of the latest beta (version 122), we’re no longer seeing Nearby Places or the associated setting. However, the search bar stills says “Search contacts & places.”
