Google Announces Inbox – A New Take On Email

As part of the visual theme, called Material Design, which they introduced with Android 5.0 Lollipop, Google Inc. has rolled out an update to Google Maps. The update to the Maps app follows the design changes that have already happened for Drive, Gmail, Google Calendar apps and their new Inbox email app.

Google have stated in a blog post, “Over the next few days, when you open up Google Maps on your Android or iPhone, you’ll be greeted by bright colors and a fresh new design. This new look is all about creating surfaces and shadows that echo the real world; with Google Maps’ new material feel, layers and buttons come to life so you know just where to touch to get directions, recommendations and imagery”.

There are no major functionality changes, but the redesign does include brighter colors and bold headers. If you tap on a place’s info sheet, you will be able to see reviews and photos of the venue. Tap the ‘More to Explore’ at the bottom of the map and find new places to dine at or visit.

The redesign also includes some exciting new features for the iOS and Android app, including restaurant reservations and Uber price and time estimates.

With the integration of OpenTable (U.S. only) into the app making a restaurant reservation has just become that much easier. When previously searching for a restaurant, Google Maps would provide you with a link to OpenTable. However, now users will be able to make a reservation directly in the app, on condition that the restaurant is listed on OpenTable. In June, Priceline Group, one of Google’s largest ad partners, bought OpenTable for $2.6 billion.

In May, Google started to integrate some of the features of Uber, like the ability to “Get an Uber” and see the estimated drop-off time. Now if a user has the Uber app installed on their phone, they will be able to see the estimated pick-up time and price for their route.

The update is not yet live, but should start rolling out over the next few days so keep an eye on your update notifications.

photo credit: Robert S. Donovan via photopin cc