Google Accidentally Teases New Maps Service Ahead Of Google I/O

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Google I/O kicks off today, and one of the announcements you can look forward to is a new Google Maps service. Google accidentally teased major changes ahead of its official unveiling by opening up a new webpage that allowed users to request an invite to a new Maps service.

That page has now been pulled, but not before screenshots began making their way around the Internet.

While those screenshots, which were obtained by Droid-Life, don’t give away too much information, they do hint at some of the changes coming to Google Maps — and they give us a glimpse at some of its interface tweaks.

They also promise “the most comprehensive map, now built for you.”

“The new Google Maps draws you a tailored map for every search and click you make,” one page reads. “So whatever you’re trying to find or wherever you’re trying to go, you’ll always have a map highlighting the things that matter most.”

There’s a new “smart search box,” which displays things like ratings, reviews, and indoor maps automatically as you type out your search. The new Maps also incorporates imagery from Google Earth, and Google’s flight search service to provide you with as much information as it possibly can on your destination.

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“From outer space down to the streets, the new Google Maps gathers all the imagery of a location into one spot, making it easy to explore your world from every angle,” Google says.

There’s no mention of this new Maps service on mobile yet, so expect it to come to the desktop first and then mobile devices at some point in the future. And as we mentioned above, it appears it’ll be invite-only at first, before it’s open to everyone.

These pages have now been pulled, unfortunately — but we expect to see Google’s official announcement on the new Google Maps later today at Google I/O. Stay tuned for more as soon as we have it.