The new Google Maps is finally leaving beta

Nearly a year ago Google launched a new version of Google Maps that eager users could voluntarily try. That version has now begun rolling out to all users. The Mountain View tech giant this week announced that over the coming weeks the “new Google Maps” will replace its predecessor as the default version of the service. The new Google Maps features a redesigned look that envelops the entire Web page, unlike the previous version which used about two-thirds of the screen for map imagery and the other third to display information.

If you never opted in to Google’s big desktop Maps redesign, which was introduced last May, you’ll be seeing the new experience in the coming weeks, regardless of your preference. Announced on Google’s Maps blog on Wednesday, the search giant said the deeper and smarter experience is finally coming out of beta, nine months after it was first detailed at I/O. When it first launched in beta last year, Google gave users an option to get an early taste of its most comprehensive mapping experience ever. Built from the ground up, the new Maps introduces a completely revamped interface that’s meant to be more personal for individual users. Just like Google’s other services, the more you use it, the better it becomes. When we opted in to the new Maps last year, it surprised us how awesome the experience was. Nine months later, and we haven’t once thought to go back.