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Google Maps updated w/ new icon & color system that better highlights points of interest

Google Maps across all platforms is getting a significant interface refresh that better highlights relevant information depending on your mode. Announced today, this is primarily achieved thanks to a new and refreshed icon/color system.

Relevant points of interest will now be highlighted depending on the map view you are in. For instance, when in Transit mode, as determined by the bottom bar, train stations and bus stops will be more prominent. Meanwhile, the Driving view will better surface gas stations.

To achieve this, Google Map is refreshing its color scheme and icon system to quickly identify points of interest.

Places like a cafe, church, museum or hospital will have a designated color and icon, so that it’s easy to find that type of destination on the map. For example, if you’re in a new neighborhood and searching for a coffee shop, you could open the map to find the nearest orange icon (which is the color for Food & Drink spots).

There are eight categories with their own unique color: Food & Drink, Shopping, Health, Entertainment/Leisure, Services, Civil Services/Worship, Outdoor, and Transport. Icons in those categories will adopt the respective color, with Google also revamping personal and the road work condition icons.

These changes will be rolling out over the new few weeks for all Google product that use Maps, including Assistant, Search, Earth, and Android Auto. Later on apps and websites that use the Google Maps API will also be updated to his unified look.


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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com