Google Maps turns 15 years old. To celebrate, Google rolled out a new icon for the provider at the side of a slightly revamped app and a couple of new functions.
New, redesigned user-interface
The remarkable change in the app is probably the icon itself - long gone is the classic map intersection icon in favor of a new Google-hued pin on a white background, which intently fits Google's other software branding.
The Google Maps app itself also gets a slight change on its user-interface, with the new tabs on the bottom part of your screen. The new features, according to Google, would be rolled out in phases depending on the country.
The navigation tab on the Google Maps interface on the bottom part of the screen was expanded to five from three. 'Explore' tab is used to gather statistics and ratings on some 200 million places worldwide, Google said. The 'Commute' tab will provide real-time traffic updates and travel times.
The Saved tab will handle users' favorite locations. Google Maps users, according to the tech giant, saved some 6.5 billion places on the app. The 'Contribute' tab will be a place for users to share reviews, photos, and information on missing areas on the app. Updates will suggest locations that a user might prefer depending on the navigation history.
Google officials said the users could quickly go "incognito" while using Google Maps to prevent the platform from sharing their data. The feature would be available on the left side of the screen.
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More of those functions are located at the front and middle tabs for easy access instead of getting them buried deep in a side menu.
Why the revamp?
The motivation behind the remodel is rooted in the extra recent functionality that Google has delivered to Maps, such as more focus on user-submitted content fabric and the capability to study other clients.
According to Google Maps Senior Vice-President Jen Fitzpatrick, Google Maps desires to make it less complicated for users to pick out their mode of transportation primarily based on pace and cost.
"We have that flexibility because site visitors are evolving," Fitzpatrick said. She added the company expects people to have better trips with Google Maps, Fitzpatrick said.
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Google to unveil new updates on the app soon
Google is also saying a couple of new capabilities to Maps, although they won't arrive till sometime in March. The first is expanded crowdsourced records for public transit.
Google Maps, before the update, could best inform users whether a train or bus is expected to be crowded. The new update allows users to submit other info like weather, wheelchair accessibility, or whether there's a women-best carriage or onboard security.
Google's Live View and transit information will also be updated in a future update sometime next month. The feature is expected to have a more light-weight mode that will truly display the area of the user's destination without launching into the full-fledged 3-D navigation mode.
