Google Maps Updates UI With Brighter Colors

Google Maps is testing an updated color palette for the background map layer that will undoubtedly draw some comparisons to Apple Maps.

The blue for water is much lighter than before (with some hints of green) and draws immediate comparison to Apple Maps. If you live near the ocean, lakes, or rivers, this will be quite noticeable and more vibrant.

It’s unclear when and if Google will roll out the Google Maps redesign. But 9to5Google reports that some users are seeing the changes pop up in their iOS versions of Google Maps. Google is testing the color changes for now, and I could not replicate these findings despite running the latest Google Maps version.

Considering the screenshots showing the purportedly altered Google Maps color palette, I’ll say that Google Maps doesn’t look like an identical copy of Apple Maps. But I do see the similarities.

For example, the blue Google uses for water is changing from dark blue to Apple’s lighter option. Google’s green for forests is getting darker than Apple’s lighter tones. Below, you can see the current color palette theme for Google Maps.

One big change, and another similarity to Apple Maps, concerns the new color options for roads and freeways. They’re all gray compared to the white/yellow options from before. And that’s a big similarity to how Apple Maps is displaying roads.

The dark mode is largely similar to the current Google Maps dark experience, though it could always get additional updates down the road.

These visual changes would also impact the Android Google Maps experience. 9to5Google shared images showing the new colors in the directions user interface. Google users a darker shade of green, and the roads are gray.

There’s no telling when Google will roll out the new Google Maps appearance to all Android and iPhone users. Or whether it’ll proceed with the color updates after the test period is over. But if Google changes the Google Maps colors, expect similar tones for the web version of the popular navigation app.

As a longtime Google Maps user, I don’t think I care that much about the color options and whether they’ll resemble Apple Maps. However, there’s no denying that the current Google Maps color palette is immediately recognizable. It’ll take a while for Google Maps enthusiasts to get used to the new colors if they roll out.