Google is currently testing a new feature that will allow keen food photographers to automatically add their images to Google Maps as soon as they are taken.
According to Android Police, the new feature will send users an alert if an image has been taken in food-related places and offer to automatically upload the image to the location on Maps. It is only available to Map Maker guides of level 3 or above to test at the moment.
It’s a neat feature that will make reviewing and searching for restaurants easier for the user and it’s obviously in Google’s best interest to make this work as it means it will get the images that are often only posted to Instagram.
Right now Google is rolling out the feature to its "Local Guides" — people who write reviews of the places where they eat, drink or shop for Google. Android Police picked up an email sent out to guide who have contributed more than 50 reviews to the Local Guides program.
The email mentions notifications that "show up after you've taken a photo in public places that Google thinks are interesting to other people, like restaurants and bars."
Google tried to tap into the foodography trend earlier this year with an experimental service attached to Google+ called Tablescape.
A new Google app called Tablescape has leaked out, which could be a new social networking site primarily meant for foodies. The app is available only for 'Google Trusted Testers' at the moment.
The screenshots of the app suggest that this will be very much like any other Google app that we've come across, with a very familiar layout and UI design. Users will be able to discover new food items using hashtags and categorize their food based on various preferences (vegetarian, chocolate, healthy, alcohol, homemade etc).
Unfortunately, the food-focused social network only got to the testing phase and was shuttered before an official launch.
