Google Maps Tests Shrinking Pins into Small Dots: A Cleaner, But Less Visible, Approach?

Google Maps Tests Shrinking Pins into Small Dots: A Cleaner, But Less Visible, Approach?

Google Maps, the ubiquitous navigation app, is constantly evolving, experimenting with new features and tweaks to improve user experience. One such experiment currently underway involves a significant change to how saved places are displayed: shrinking pins into small, colored dots. This change aims to declutter the map, especially when zoomed out, but also raises concerns about visibility. Let's delve into the details of this intriguing test. The Pin Problem: A Cluttered Map For users who save numerous locations – be it favorite restaurants, must-see landmarks, or important addresses – Google Maps can quickly become visually overwhelming. The standard pins (stars, flags, hearts, and other icons) maintain their size and shape regardless of the zoom level. As you zoom out, these pins begin to overlap, creating a dense and sometimes confusing visual landscape. Eventually, at extreme zoom levels, the individual pins merge into a single, generic marker. This makes it difficult to qu…