Google updates its maps to become a reflection of each user
Photo Credit: A man shows off one of the original versions of Google Maps at a dinner in Hong Kong. Flickr / Lai Ryanne
Skift Take
A map needs to do more than show a user what it thinks he wants to see; it must also be a base for exploration. A combination of personal data, friends' data, and basic infrastructure could hit the sweet, if not creepy, spot.
At its annual developer conference yesterday, Google announced a complete overhaul of its maps. Among other things, changes include a cleaner interface, integrated Google Earth, and maps that learn as you use them. If you search for a curry, it will suggest other South Asian restaurants. If you’re friends with lots of people who visit libraries, it may direct you to book stores. With all the data Google collects across its various services, it has a pretty good idea of who you are. Now it will use that information in its maps.
That probably sounds pretty creepy in a “Google’s using my data and telling me what it thinks I want agai
