From Gemini to a new location for weather and the teal accent color, Google Maps has seen a number of changes recently, with the latest being a new system for version numbers.
For the vast majority of Google apps — Authenticator is a recent exception, version numbers aren’t reflective of anything. When Google applications go from, for example, version 4 -> 5, it doesn’t mean that there are big changes in that update.
Until recently, Google Maps for Android version numbers were structured like 11.155.0103.
11, which would be the major version number in other apps, last changed (from 10) in 2021. (On the iOS app, there’s a different system: 6.142.0.)
Going forward, version numbers for Google Maps will look like: 24.47.01.697822364. It’s similar to other Google software like Play services.
The first number is most likely in reference to the year and the second to the week number. It better reflects how these apps get constant, if not weekly, releases, and that new features are gated by server-side updates.
One benefit of this change is that Google Maps for Android and iOS now use the same version number system. This new approach is live on the App Store and should be rolling out now via the Play Store. When Google does make note of what version you need for a new future, the unified approach should help.
Again, there’s no real user-facing impact with this change.
More on Google Maps:
- The Google Maps Location History/Timeline change is still rolling out
- Google Maps will let you report transit delays
- Google Maps adding weather disruption reporting & more detailed driving map
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