Places API release notes

New fields: containingPlaces, pureServiceAreaBusiness, priceRange, nextOpenTime, and nextCloseTime

Three new fields have been added to the response body and are available for filtering results using the Places API (New):

• containingPlaces: Provides a list of places in which the current place is located.
• priceRange: The price range associated with a place.
• pureServiceAreaBusiness: Indicates whether a place is a pure service area business, which visits or delivers to customers directly but does not have a physical address (for example, a mobile cleaning service).

Additionally, Text Search (New) and Autocomplete (New) now support searching for pure service area businesses using the includePureServiceAreaBusinesses parameter in the request body. For more information, see Optional parameters.

The Places API (New) also returns nextOpenTime and nextCloseTime to help developers calculate the minutes until a place opens or closes. For more information, see OpeningHours.

New field: googleMapsLinks

The googleMapsLinks field is now available in Preview. Your users can browse to these Google Maps links to see additional information about a place in the response.

For more information, see Link to Google Maps.

New field: flagContentUri

The new flagContentUri field is now available in Preview. This field has been added to all reviews, photos, and generative summaries included in a Places API response. It contains a link, including a unique content identifier, that lets users notify Google of inappropriate content.

For more information, see Report inappropriate content.

New field: RoutingSummary.directionsUri

The RoutingSummary.directionsUri field is now available in Preview. When you calculate a routing summary, this field contains a link to open directions to the place in Google Maps. For more information, see Calculate routing summary.

If you combine routing summary calculations with search along a route, then RoutingSummary.directionsUri contains a link to open directions from the route origin to the place and then to the route destination. For more information, see Combine routing summaries with search along route.

New experimental addressDescriptor field added to the Place response object. Address descriptors include additional information that help describe a location using landmarks and areas.

This feature is available in all regions. See coverage details.

This feature is in the pre-GA Experimental stage and there is no charge, meaning billing is $0, for usage during Experimental.

Search along route

Search along a route is now generally available in the Places API (New). With this release, you can:

• (Text Search only) Search for places along a predefined trip route.
• (Text Search and Nearby Search) Calculate the routing summary, meaning the duration and distance, from a specified routing origin location to each place in the search results.
• (Text Search only) Calculate the routing summary for each place along a predefined trip route.

For more information, see Overview of search along route.

Autocomplete (New) and session tokens

Autocomplete (New) is now generally available. The Autocomplete (New) service returns place predictions and query predictions based on full words and substrings of an input. For more information, see Autocomplete (New).

Session tokens are user-generated strings that group the query and selection phases of a search using Autocomplete (New) into a discrete "session" for billing purposes. For more information, see Session tokens.

After making an Autocomplete (New) request, if you make a Place Details request using the SKU: Place Details (Location Only), and then make an Address Validation request before the session token expires (in that order), the request using SKU: Place Details (Location Only) is free. The Address Validation request is billed using the SKU: Address Validation Preferred. For more information, see Autocomplete (New) and session pricing.

Autocomplete (New) and session tokens

The Autocomplete (New) service returns place predictions and query predictions based on full words and substrings of an input. For more information, see Autocomplete (New).

Session tokens are user-generated strings that group the query and selection phases of a search using Autocomplete (New) into a discrete "session" for billing purposes. For more information, see Session tokens.

Note: Autocomplete (New) and session tokens are in preview.

New Text Search parameters

Two new evOptions parameters are available as optional fields in Text Search:

• connectorTypes: Filters by the type of EV charging connector available at a place.
• minimumChargingRateKw: Filters places by minimum EV charging rate in kilowatts (kW).

New fields: evChargeOptions, fuelOptions, parkingOptions

The following fields are available in GA and are charged for use:

• evChargeOptions: Number of electric vehicle (EV) chargers at this station.
• fuelOptions: The most recent information about fuel options available at a gas station.
• parkingOptions: Parking options provided by the place.

For more information, see About the Places API (New).

New Place Details SKU

SKU: Place Details (Location Only) is a Preview feature that contains fields that were previously included in SKU: Place Details (Basic). Usage during Preview is at no charge.

For more information, see SKU: Place Details (Location Only).

New APIs, fields, and accessibility options

Four new APIs are available through the Places API (New):

• Nearby Search: Takes one or more place types and returns a list of matching places within the specified area.
• Text Search: Returns information about a set of places based on string.
• Place Details: Returns comprehensive information about a particular establishment or point of interest.
• Place Photos: Provides access to high-quality photos stored in the Places database.

New fields provide more information about a place, including secondary opening hours, payment and parking options, EV charging availability, and more.

New attributes provide additional context about a place, including whether a place has outdoor seating, live music, a children's menu, restrooms, and more.

New accessibility options indicate whether a place has wheelchair-accessible parking, entrances, restrooms, and seating.

For more information, see About the New Places APIs.