Google Inc (GOOG) Maps App: An Update Worth Noting

Are you the type of person who relies heavily on the use of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Maps? If so, you are not alone. We have covered this tool in the past, and are glad to bring another story your way today.

On the official Google blog, the company announced a new Google maps app for both smartphones and tablets. As you can imagine, this is big news for the company as well as the millions of people who rely on this tool on a regular basis.

Here is what the blog post had to say:

“Today we’re introducing a new Google Maps app for Android smartphones and tablets, also coming soon to iPhone and iPad. It’s a new mapping experience that makes exploring the world and getting to the places that matter to you a lot faster and easier. The app is gradually rolling out globally in Google Play and will be available soon in the App Store.

The new Google Maps for mobile builds on the design we released for iPhone last December and improves on it with a few useful search and navigation features. And it’s the first dedicated app for Android tablets and iPads. We’re also retiring Latitude and are making some changes to offline and My Maps.”

Right now, this is available for Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android powered smartphones and tablets. Fortunately for iOS users, the search engine giant has not forgotten about them.

Now that we have all that out of the way, let’s take a closer look at some of the new features that make this app better than its predecessor:

– Explore

– Enhanced navigation

– Designed for tablets

– Reviews, Zagat, and Offers

The last update listed above has to be among the most exciting. Here is more from Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG):

“There’s a new 5.0 star rating system that gives you a quick read on how your friends and others rate places like restaurants, bars and cafes. For an expert’s opinion, the Zagat badge of excellence and curated lists are integrated into search results so you can quickly spot the very best places. From “Best Restaurants to meet for a drink in NYC” to “Best Restaurants in the Mission” in San Francisco, Zagat’s there to help you uncover the local gems.”

It is hard to imagine that the next generation Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) Maps app will be better than the one you are familiar with, but the company is confident it has added some useful features.