X
Tech

Google Maps updated to highlight the action around you

Google updated Maps for the desktop, Android, and iOS today with visual improvements that should aid in your navigation this summer.
Written by Matthew Miller, Contributing Writer
Google Maps areas of interest

No matter what mobile operating system I am using, Google Maps is my default GPS navigation solution. Today Google released updates for desktop, Android, and iOS that are designed to improve the visual experience.

After updating Google Maps on the Huawei P9, I immediately saw the improvements with the orange shading of "areas of interest" throughout downtown Seattle. Google uses these new shaded areas to show users where there are a number of activities and events, perfect as visitors explore Seattle, and other areas around the world, this summer.

google-maps-color-wheel.png
(Image: Google)

Google uses algorithms to determine these areas of interest so even in a busy city like New York the entire city isn't highlighted at once. Google's blog post states it is using a human touch to make sure it is showing the most active areas, which means there must be some actual Google employees verifying activities.

A color wheel was posted on the Google blog showing users maps features that are manmade, those with vegetation, those with water, and search results in red tints. Overall, I think Google Maps does look a bit cleaner with this update.

Editorial standards