Google adds one‑tap live location
Google Messages now supports live location sharing inside RCS/SMS group chats, closing a long-standing gap with iMessage and WhatsApp — and Maps is piloting a floating “share location” button for single‑tap broadcasts. This reduces friction for real‑world coordination and raises the baseline expectation for instant, privacy-aware location sharing in mobile apps. (pcmag.com; phandroid.com)
Google began rolling out real‑time location sharing inside Google Messages on March 20, 2026 as part of its March feature/Pixel drop, with field confirmations from PCMag and CNET. (pcmag.com) The Messages share UI offers presets for “1 hour” and “rest of today” plus a Custom option that Android Police’s testing shows can be set as short as 1 minute or as long as 24 hours, and the chat displays a persistent banner with the active sharing duration and device battery info. (androidpolice.com) Users access the function by opening a conversation and tapping the plus (+) attachment menu in the bottom‑left to choose “Real‑time location,” which opens an embedded Maps preview inside the chat; outlets report the capability is powered by Google’s Find Hub backend. (pcmag.com) Reports say the feature works in both RCS and non‑RCS conversations and that non‑Android or iPhone recipients are delivered a Google Maps web link to view the live feed; multiple outlets note Google is rolling the feature out gradually across beta and stable channels and that it’s been spotted on Pixel devices running Android 17 beta. (androidpolice.com) Separately, Google Maps is testing a dedicated floating action button (FAB) for one‑tap location sharing in app build 26.12.03.884026066; the FAB — a share icon over a location pin placed above the compass — appears when the map is centered on your location and auto‑hides while scrolling, and the build also contains an experimental grid‑style navigation menu. (androidpolice.com) The Messages live‑share integration ties into Google’s broader Find Hub platform (the rebrand/expansion of Find My Device), and Google’s March updates announced new Find Hub integrations with Messages and airline/luggage partners earlier this month. (blog.google)
