Google Maps testing new colours that look quite a bit like Apple Maps

Google Maps is testing an up to date coloration palette for the background map layer that can undoubtedly draw some comparisons to Apple Maps.

The blue for water is far lighter than earlier than (with some hints of inexperienced) and attracts instant comparability to Apple Maps. Should you dwell close to the ocean, lakes, or rivers, this can be fairly noticeable and extra vibrant.

Present | new | Apple Maps

In the wrong way, Google is utilizing a darker inexperienced (with some blue) for nature areas, like parks, forests, and so forth. Roads at the moment are grey as an alternative of white and stand out way more consequently. For thematic unity, freeways are a darkish grey as an alternative of yellow in one other similarity to Apple’s strategy.

Yellow/beige continues to be in use; dedicating that coloration to busy areas is a good suggestion. In the meantime, the darkish theme seems unchanged and continues to be darker than Apple Maps.

Elsewhere within the UI, instructions use a a lot darker shade of inexperienced for a very powerful info. (It stands out much less, for my part.)

In isolation, many of the coloration tweaks aren’t drastic. Mixed, nonetheless, Google Maps seems to be fairly totally different from earlier than. The replace to water and roads will draw probably the most comparisons to Apple Maps, with the latter change being fairly impactful when it comes to visibility. 

In the meantime, Google Maps has a brief Materials 3 backside bar however no dynamic coloration. We’re seeing a handful of experiences of this rolling out at this time on Android, however it’s not extensively obtainable on any machine we checked. Google may nonetheless be within the testing section and alter issues earlier than a wider launch.

Extra on Google Maps:

Thanks, Winston!