Screenshot of Google’s email invite
GOOGLE will be releasing a test version of its own travel assistant app next week to a select group of people, according to an email invite sent to members of the tech company’s Local Guides programme.
The email, which was sent to this editor, informs that the app will be available on both Android and iOS devices. It further requests that invitees take part in a survey, and if selected, will be informed how to get access to the new app.
Survey questions, given in multiple choice format, asked whether one had travel plans coming up in the months ahead, as well as what kind of travel it was, whether leisure or business, among several other questions.
There is little other information at the moment, other than conjecture that it could be some kind of travel buddy app that will include itinerary planning features. There is already some semblance of that in Gmail, under its Trips feature.
Most likely, the app will also incorporate Google Flights, the tech giant’s flight metasearch product, pitting it against current industry players like Skyscanner, Kayak and Wego.
