Google Maps is celebrating its 15th anniversary, and the American technology giant is going all out to mark the occasion with a new logo and a major update!
Google has updated Maps with an all-new new logomuch simpler than its predecessor. Instead of depicting a road, the Google logo and a fallen pin, the new Maps logo is now a single multicolored pin. The Mountain View company said it opted for the new design because a fallen pin has been "a key element of Google Maps since the beginning".
Google Maps update two important features you need to know
explains Google: "We're updating our look with a new Google Maps icon that reflects the evolution we've made in mapping the world. It's based on a key element of Google Maps from the very beginning - the pin - and represents the change we've made to get you to your destination, but also to help you discover new places and experiences.
But Google doesn't stop there: the Californian company has also redesigned Maps itself. From now on, loading the application will present you with five main tabs at the bottom: Explore, Commute, Saved, Contribute and Updates.
The new layout seems specifically designed to encourage user contributions to improve the accuracy of Google Maps and the data pool it offers.
Google has also redesigned Google Maps itself!
Here's a quick look at the new Google Maps tabs:
- Explore Looking for a nearby place to have lunch, listen to live music or play arcade games? In the Explore tab, you'll find information, ratings, reviews and more for around 200 million places worldwide, including local restaurants, nearby attractions and city landmarks.
- Shuttle service Whether you're traveling by car or public transport, the Travel tab is there to make sure you're on the most efficient route. Set up your daily commute to get real-time information on traffic, travel times and suggested alternative routes.
- Saved : People have saved over 6.5 billion places on Google Map, from the new bakery across town to the famous restaurant on your next vacation. Now you can view all these places in one convenient place, as well as find and organize plans for an upcoming trip and share recommendations based on where you've been.
- Contribute Hundreds of millions of people contribute information to Google Maps every year. With the new Contribute tab, you can easily share your local knowledge, such as details on roads and addresses, missing places, business reviews and photos. Every contribution goes a long way towards helping others discover new places and decide what to do next.
- Updates : The new Updates tab allows you to receive information on trends and must-see locations from local experts and publishers, such as The Infatuation. As well as discovering, saving and sharing recommendations with your network, you can also chat directly with businesses to get answers to your questions.
Google also announced that it was working on a series of NEW FEATURES transport for Google Maps which should help make your travels easier. These features, which include the ability to view the temperature of public transport, will be rolled out worldwide from March.
Here's a complete overview of each of them:
- Temperature For a more comfortable ride, check in advance whether the temperature is considered by previous users to be colder or warmer.
- Accessibility If you have special needs or require additional assistance, you can identify transit lines with staff assistance, accessible entrance and seating, an accessible stop button or a high-visibility LED.
- Women's section In areas where public transit systems have designated women-only sections or cars, we'll help you display this information and determine whether other passengers respect it.
- Safety on board : Do you feel safer knowing that there's a security check on board - whether it's with a security guard