14 DAY TRIAL // We knew that Google Maps is getting a huge revamp at I/O, and Google isn't disappointing. A brand new Google Maps for the web is being unveiled and it's essentially a complete rewrite.
One of the big focuses of the new maps is personalization. Now, Google Maps won't be the same for any two users. The more you search, the more you do, the better Maps will be.
For one, Maps will adjust to the places you visit, and the ones you search for often will become landmarks and will be displayed on your default map. The personalization comes from Google+, of course, and you'll get info based on what your friends like or the reviews they made.
Not only will there be one map for every person, but there will be one map for every place. In the new Google Maps, the information displayed changes based on the place selected. For example, the streets that lead up to that place will be highlighted even if they are minor.
At the same time, Google is revamping everything that powers maps on the web. WebGL is used extensively, when possible, and it shows.
Google wants the map itself to be the UI. By default, you only get a search box, like on the iOS Google Maps. Everything is hardware accelerated, so navigation is smooth.
And, because the new Maps relies on WebGL, Google has been able to build many great features from Google Earth. Zooming out in the new Google Maps will end up with a view of the globe, just like in Earth.
The day and night cycle is showed in real time, clouds are showed in real time, the same with the position of the stars and the sun which are also visible when zooming out even more.
The new Maps isn't quite ready yet, for now, and Google is only giving some users access. You can request access though.
