Release Version: 25.5.1
Release Date: May 30, 2025
What’s New:
Empower Updates
Introducing Pathways - Natural Wayfinding with No App Download or Hardware Required
Pathways is here! This major new feature provides seamless indoor and outdoor wayfinding for your visitors—directly from their mobile browser. No downloads. No hardware. Just intuitive, landmark-based directions to help visitors move confidently through your venue.
Frictionless Mobile Access: Visitors simply scan a QR code or search for a Space, Object, or Point of Interest to use Pathways in their browser through the Empower PWA—no app downloads or logins required.
Landmark-Based Navigation: Instead of turn-by-turn instructions, Pathways guides visitors using real-world reference points like exhibits or architectural features.
To learn more about Pladia’s approach to wayfinding, explore our blog post: Beyond the "Blue Dot": Rethinking Wayfinding for Visitor Attractions.
Simple Setup in Console: You can configure and update routes at any time directly in the Pladia Console—no technical support needed.
Get directions on Landing Map
Get Directions from Space or Object Screen
Updates Following Beta Testing:
For those who were part of the initial beta release of Pathways, we’ve rolled out several enhancements based on your feedback:
Now Supports Point Of Interest (POI) Directions: Visitors can now get directions to any Space, Object, or POI—including Standard POIs like bathrooms and amenities—directly from the landing map.
Streamlined Console Publishing: Your team can now update and publish navigation tracks straight from the Console—without needing help from Pladia support.
To learn more about setting up Pathways at your venue, check out our full Pathways setup article. To learn more about how visitors will experience the step-by step directions provided through Pathways, check out our Pathways visitor experience article.
Updated Status Labels and New Release Flow
We’ve updated the terminology and workflow around content status and publishing to better align with what what you’ll see in other publishing tools. It’s now immediately clearer which content is live and which is pending release. Especially helpful when managing multiple updates.
Aligned with common standards: Statuses are now Draft, Published, and Published with Changes—making it easier to understand what content is live in the app, and what’s still a work in progress.
New “Release” action: The former “Publish” button is now called “Release,” clarifying that changes are pushed live in batches, not individually.
Temporary dashboard shortcut: A shortcut to the Releases page has been added to the dashboard for quick access during this transition.
To learn more about the new statuses and when they might appear, check out our new Understanding Publishing Statuses support article.
Simplified Asset Publishing
Images, audio files, and creators no longer need individual publish actions. Now, you can simply save changes—no extra steps needed. These updates will be included in the next release automatically.
Faster and cleaner workflows: Removing asset-level publish controls speeds up publishing and reduces confusion when editing content linked across Spaces, Objects, or POIs.
No publish button for assets: You no longer need to save images, audio, or creators as “published.” Just save once, and they’ll be queued for release.
Changes still included in releases: Even though assets won’t appear in the Releases UI yet, their updates will sync to the app during the next release.
Standard POIs Now Appear in Search Results
Visitors can now search for Standard POIs—such as restrooms, shops, or cafés—making everyday amenities easier to find from anywhere in the Empower PWA.
From Symbols to Searchable Destinations:
This update transforms Standard POIs from simple map icons into interactive, searchable points, enhancing visitor access to essential amenities.Unlocking Wayfinding for Amenities:
By including Standard POIs in search, Pathways can now guide visitors directly to these locations, enriching the overall visitor experience.
Standard POIs now show up in searches
Improved “Phone to Ear” Listening for iOS Users
We've improved the experience for iOS visitors who choose to listen to audio by selecting Phone to Ear. This enhancement reduces the number of taps needed to get started, making audio playback feel more natural.
Faster Playback Start: Phone to Ear UI now launches more smoothly on iOS, reducing friction when starting audio content.
Better First-Time Experience: This improvement addresses a known iOS bug that caused some users to press "play" multiple times before hearing audio.
If you have any questions about these new features or want help putting them to use, your Pladia Customer Success team member is always here to support you.
Thank you for being a valued part of the Pladia community!