Google’s Maps is seen as the authority in the field of navigation, and of course, mapping, and having established a large user base already, the company is preparing to revamp the mobile arm of the service in the coming weeks and months. Following on from the new-look desktop version, Google will now be bringing the look of iOS Maps to Android, and an iPad version is also going to be hitting the App Store in the summer along with a revamp of the desktop version of Maps. More details after the break.
Google certainly did the noble thing in bringing a standalone iOS Maps app to the fold following the mishaps of the Cupertino company’s lackluster stock offering, and although the was the third-party app a helluva lot better than the garbage Apple had rather hurriedly stuck together, some were left feeling as though it was actually even better than the Android version.
Certainly, it looked a great deal better than the Android iteration, with cleaner, crisper UI elements throughout, and in being rather keen to upstage its biggest rival in the mobile mapping game, the search giant seemed to, quite literally, outdo itself.
Still, with this forthcoming update, which will hit the Play Store in the very near future, the Android Maps app will be given an aesthetic makeover in line with the iOS app. The changes won’t just be for purpose of vanity, though; Google Offers will also be added to the Maps app to bring more of the products you love to your attention. The likes of Starbucks, Toys ‘R’ Us and RadioShack have already signed up, and since there’s also a ratings system allowing users to give up to five stars for their restaurant experiences, everybody else will be able to benefit from that next disastrous meal you end up having.
As if that wasn’t good news enough, the Mountain View company will also be pushing through an iPad version of Google Maps at some point “this summer.” Perhaps not as specific a release frame as some iPad-wielding Maps fans would have liked, the lack of support for the Apple tablet has clearly been missed since iOS Maps dropped in December, and I would imagine street parties will ensue once again when iPad support does become official.
The desktop version is also getting a big revamp, and is open for invitation for everyone as we speak. The new desktop version of Maps is now more personal, and gets tailored to every search you make via Google. Add interactive maps on top of that and we have a sure shot winner on the table. To get an invitation for the new Maps app for desktop, simply go here.
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