Meet the new Google Maps: A map for every person and place

What if we told you that during your lifetime, Google could create millions of custom maps...each one just for you? 

In the past, such a notion would have been unbelievable: a map was just a map, and you got the same one for New York City, whether you were searching for the Empire State Building or the coffee shop down the street. What if, instead, you had a map that’s unique to you, always adapting to the task you want to perform right this minute? 

This is what you will have with the introduction of the new Google Maps – a mapping experience that helps you find places you never would have thought to search for. 

The new Google Maps is full-screen and fully interactive 

Every click draws a new map highlighting the things that matter most 
Like a friend drawing you a map to her favorite restaurant, with only the roads and landmarks you need to get there, the new Google Maps instantly changes to highlight information that matters most.

And the more you interact with the map, the better it gets. When you set your Home and Work locations, star favorite places, write reviews and share with friends, Google Maps will build even more useful maps with recommendations for places you might enjoy. 

The map is tailored to you and gets better with use 

Easier to find the best local places
In addition to a customized map, we’ve also made it easier to uncover the best local gems. Search results are labeled directly on the map with brief place descriptions and icons that highlight business categories and other useful information – like restaurants that are recommended by your Google+ friends. Info cards provide helpful information such as business hours, and ratings and reviews so you can quickly decide where to eat, drink and play. 

Search results appear labeled right on the map 

Amazing imagery for exploring the world
Of course, no map would be complete without amazing images for exploring the world. The new carousel gathers all Google Maps imagery in one spot enabling you to fly through cities, walk canyon trails, climb mountains, and even swim the oceans. And on a WebGL-enabled browser, like Google Chrome, the carousel is also where you'll find the Earth view which directly integrates the beautiful 3D experience from Google Earth into the new maps. 

Earth view brings full 3D to the browser

There’s so much more to discover, including smarter directions and tours generated from user-submitted photos. It’s the biggest change we’ve made to Google Maps since we launched eight years ago. In case you didn’t catch all of that, here’s a quick tour: 

The quest to build the perfect map will never be over, but we’re excited about the steps we’re taking towards building the next generation of maps. Please visit this page to request an invite and we hope you have fun with the new Google Maps.

Happy exploring,

Bernhard Seefeld, Google Maps Product Management Director & Yatin Chawathe, Google Maps Engineering Director