Google launched Google Maps 15 years ago, well, technically on February 8, 2005 - so almost 15 years ago. And to celebrate, it announced today in numerous blog posts, a new map icon, new features and more.
First, here is the new logo or map pin icon (click to enlarge):
Here is what is new with Google Maps for iOS and Android with today's launch:
- Explore: Looking for a place nearby to grab lunch, enjoy live music or play arcade games? In the Explore tab, you’ll find information, ratings, reviews and more for about 200 million places around the world, including local restaurants, nearby attractions and city landmarks.
- Commute: Whether you’re traveling by car or public transit, the Commute tab is there to make sure you’re on the most efficient route. Set up your daily commute to get real-time traffic updates, travel times and suggestions for alternative routes.
- Saved: People have saved more than 6.5 billion places on Google Maps—from the new bakery across town to the famous restaurant on your upcoming vacation. Now you can view all of these spots in one convenient place, as well as find and organize plans for an upcoming trip and share recommendations based on places you've been.
- Contribute: Hundreds of millions of people each year contribute information that helps keep Google Maps up to date. With the new Contribute tab, you can easily share local knowledge, such as details about roads and addresses, missing places, business reviews and photos. Each contribution goes a long way in helping others learn about new places and decide what to do.
- Updates: The new Updates tab provides you with a feed of trending, must-see spots from local experts and publishers, like The Infatuation. In addition to discovering, saving and sharing recommendations with your network, you can also directly chat with businesses to get questions answered.
Here is a GIF of some of those new features:
Google also shared the history and changes over the years with Google Maps - it is a fun read.
Amazing how Google Maps has changed so much in the past 15 years. No more standalone GPS devices. No more printing MapQuest directions. Forget yellow pages.
Forum discussion at Twitter.
