Google’s popular online mapping service is getting a makeover as of this week as a new look is rolled out to all desktop users. The new interface for Maps is described by Google as being more immersive and social.
The Maps makeover has been quite a long time coming, having been announced in May 2013 during a Google conference to some fanfare. “It’s simple and powerful. The map is the user interface,” said Berhard Seefeld when he introduced the product makeover almost a year ago. Google hasn’t been resting since then, and there have been several updates to the popular service in the last year, including live traffic updates and better viewing options for location photos.
The new interface will start to adapt the more that a user interacts with it. “As you search the map, start places you like and leave reviews, the map starts to adapt and can suggest things like restaurants you might enjoy or the quickest way home,” said Google’s official blog post.