Google Maps Gets Cleaner Look, Areas of Interest, Subtle Color Scheme [Video]

Google has announced some improvements to Google Maps for iOS including a cleaner look, Areas of Interest, and a more subtle balanced color scheme.

A cleaner look
As part of this update, we’ve removed elements that aren’t absolutely required (like road outlines). The result is a cleaner look that makes it easier to see helpful and actionable information like traffic and transit. And we’ve improved the typography of street names, points of interest, transit stations, and more to make them more distinguishable from other things on the map, helping you navigate the world with fewer distractions.






Areas of interest
As you explore the new map, you’ll notice areas shaded in orange representing “areas of interest”—places where there’s a lot of activities and things to do. To find an “area of interest” just open Google Maps and look around you. When you’ve found an orange-shaded area, zoom in to see more details about each venue and tap one for more info.

Areas of interest are determined with an algorithmic process that highlights areas with the highest concentration of restaurants, bars and shops. In high-density areas like NYC, Google uses a human touch to show the most active areas.




Subtle and balanced color scheme
The new Maps has a subtle color scheme to help you easily differentiate between man-made or natural features, and quickly identify places like hospitals, schools or highways. Below is a key showing what each color on the map represents.


You can download Google Maps from the App Store for free.

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