Just as we thought, Google revealed a completed revamped Google Maps design at its I/O event in San Francisco. The new-look Maps brings about a whole new design, new features and a simplified user interface.
Google says that everyone uses the same map, so it decided to try to personalise Google Maps for every user, thus creating a billion different maps. To do this it will use its search engine muscle to put a focus on places, businesses and locations that people have already searched for in Google when using Maps.
Maps will also link in with Google+, highlighting any restaurants or places that your friends on the social network have previously talked about or even reviewed. And these highlights won’t be displayed in that large white sidebar down the left of Maps anymore – that’s gone and will be replaced by pop-up boxes that overlay on top of a full screen map.
Better ads
You may not have noticed it before, but Google runs adverts in Maps. It’s now changing the way these work, with businesses that advertise through Maps now getting a portion of their ad shown in the pop-out location boxes. For example, if you clicked on a shop that was running a promotion through Google, you’d get a sample of its ad text and likely a blue coupon logo to show they’re a promoted business.
Google was keen to tell us that this particular move is currently an experiment and it will be keeping a close eye on it through the feedback of Maps users. It may or may not stay.
Earth
Everyone loves Google Earth, right? That’s why Google has added some of its functionality to Maps. Now you can zoom right out and view our beautiful planet from space, rotate it on its axis and zoom in to get detailed maps pretty much anywhere in the world.
The new look Google Maps is currently only available to those who attended Google’s event in San Francisco. For the rest of us, there’s a preview page where you can request an invite to get on board – click here.