Our Facebook request for a relationship status with Android might still be unrequited, but Google has made its love for crowd-sourced answers in Maps and Search official. Questions & answers had been in beta for a short time (and even before that, we knew it was coming). But in a blog post on the subject today, Google formally revealed the new feature, stating that it should be rolling out to Maps and Search users soon. 

The ability to ask questions about a location could really come in handy. There's a lot of information about a restaurant or venue that might not be part of the official description. So if you need to plan something around uncommon accessibility requirements, dietary restrictions, or if you just want some time-saving tips, the Q&A system can help. Even better, if the question is a common one, and the answer a good one, the conversation can stick around to help others.

The Q&A feature might not be live for everyone, but you will eventually be able to find it in the new "Questions & answers" section of a given location. From there you can ask questions, view and answer posted questions, and upvote informative questions and answers. As you'd expect, upvoted comments are more likely to appear near the top of the section. Frequently asked questions can even be featured by the business owner, so commonly requested information is available.

I took a look on my own devices, and though I see the feature live on maps, it isn't showing up for me in search just yet. The blog post does say that it's rolling out, so it just may not have gone live for everyone yet. It could be some time until you see it.

If for some reason you don't have Maps installed on your phone, it is available on Google Play, APK Mirror, and the glorious widgets below. The same goes for Search.

Source: Google