Google Maps has changed its design again, this time when it comes to directions. It’s something as simple as moving the buttons at the bottom of the windowwhich makes it easier for us to reach them when holding the mobile phone with one hand. This is a design trend that is gaining ground as mobile phones grow.
And You notice that your Google Maps looks differentThese are not your imaginations. Google is trying to migrate all the buttons that appear when scrolling down, in addition to giving more importance to the incident button, recently activated worldwide.
Buttons down
Google didn’t inform us of the change, so Google Maps surprised us with a new change in its design just a few days after discovering the new Add Stop button that appears prominently in Android Auto. And this is also linked to buttons and routes, although in this case on mobile.
It’s an open secret that Google Maps has too many buttons scattered throughout its interfacewhich in addition to making it difficult for us to know where everything is, makes it impossible to reach them all if you hold the phone with one hand, unless you have a huge hand or a small phone, which is very unusual these days. Concretely, during a route you had these buttons:
- Above: The microphone button, the magnifying glass to add stops, the sound button, the compass and the new report an incident button.
- Below: the close route button, the alternative routes button and, if you have moved on the map, the central button.
Google Maps before, with the buttons above (left) and the new design with the buttons below (right)
Now Google is testing turn down all the buttons on Google Mapshopefully leaving them within reach of your thumb while you hold the phone in one hand. The top part of the interface is reserved for directions, without any buttons. It looks like this:
- Below: the compass button, the microphone button, the magnifying glass button to add stops, the volume button, the button to report incidents, the button to close the route, the button for alternative routes and, if you have moved the button to center the view on the map.
This is not the only change, but Google Maps also offers you more importance to the button to report incidents, which appears with a new colored icon and is also displayed in large format with the text Notify until you move around the map.
Both of these changes make it easier to use Google Maps with one hand (although you shouldn’t be handling Google Maps on your phone while driving) and Reminds users that they can report incidents. The previous icon, in black and white and shaped like a chat bubble with a +, the truth is that it went a little unnoticed and at first glance it was not clear what it did. The new icon makes things much clearer.
This new design – and this icon – appears on Google Maps in its version 11.147.0102 on Androidalthough it is possible that this is a server-side activation. Google has not officially presented this new design yet.
In Xataka Android | Google Maps in depth: guide with 38 tips to enjoy all its functions
