Well, that is awkward. Just sooner or later after Ford-owned Spin introduced that its e-bike and scooter leases at the moment are findable on Google Maps, its competitor Bird has, effectively, precisely the identical information to share. In a blog post of its personal, Bird mentioned that its electrical bike and scooter leases would begin displaying up in Google Maps at present, with would-be riders in a position to see an approximate value, estimated journey length and optimized route. The characteristic, out there on each Google Maps’ iOS and Android apps, will finally nonetheless ship the rider to the Bird app in the event that they resolve to go forward and lease a car.
All instructed, this sounds similar to the announcement Spin made yesterday, together with the truth that it’s essential to open a separate app to truly pay for and unlock the rental. One fascinating distinction, although, is that Spin will present you the estimated battery vary.
A Bird spokesperson instructed Engadget that the Google Maps characteristic might be out there for customers in all US cities the place Bird scooters can be found. The firm additionally says it intends to roll out to extra international locations following the US launch. Bird didn’t reveal any extra particulars as to when the rollout would proceed or which areas would subsequent see a Google Maps integration.
Regardless of which firm was first to launch this week, these type of Google Maps integrations are hardly new — Maps has been displaying listings for Lime’s rentable scooters and bikes since 2018, to call one among Bird’s greatest and most established opponents.
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