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Over 9 months ago, Google previewed the new Google Maps, since then many have opted to use it but if you haven't and don't want to, you are out of luck. Google announced that the old version (current version) of Google Maps is going to be replace by the new Google Maps in the next "coming weeks." Like it or not, you won't be able to use the old Google Maps.
Truth is, the new Google Maps, over the past 9 months, has really grown and added a lot (not all) of the missing features from the old Google Maps and even more.
I personally use to go back to the old Google Maps as a user to use some features but now I rarely ever need to go back to the old Google Maps.
Here is a video on the new Google Maps:
Here are some stories we published on it over the past several months:
- Google Maps To Get Shiny New Look & Feel
- Gaining Access To The New Google Maps
- Google Maps Preview Available To All
- Google Maps Brings Share & Embed Feature To New Version
- Pegman Returns To Google Maps & Google Makes A Big Deal Of It
- How To Search Nearby In The New Google Maps
- Google Maps With Flight Directions
Of course, once it goes live to all, you will be hearing many complaints in the forums and on the blogs.
Forum discussion at Google Maps Help & Google+.
Comments:
Ray
02/20/2014 02:06 pm
damn :(
choto
02/21/2014 02:08 pm
Bad news, the old Google Maps rocks! The new one sucks.
Chuck
02/21/2014 07:23 pm
Wow, the new Google Maps blows. How shall I count the ways?: 1. Way to rearrange the entire UI so that it bears no resemblance to what preceded it. 2. You removed the default address I had assigned to my Maps account. Am gonna love re-typing that in every time I need directions instead of just having it there, ready to go. 3. Using Firefox, it's impossible to click-and-drag to change the route that Google Maps perceived. That means when I need directions from my home to some location in greater Cincinnati, I can't remove the 6 steps THAT I ALREADY KNOW that explain how to get on I-75. Awesome! 4. For a double penalty, if I print directions, I have to print the 6 steps explaining how to get to I-75 even if I don't want them. Way to remove the ability to click-and-drag to change the route. 5. Oh, clever (not). If I click on the little gear wheel in the bottom right of the UI, and then click on My Places, it takes me back to the old Google Maps UI, complete with my saved home address, the ability to "drag to change route," and to print in a more condensed form with small line spacings. The URL is https://www.google.com/maps/mm?authuser=0&hl=en
Anom Ymous
02/21/2014 08:38 pm
Hate the new google maps. Awful, awful, awful. I may stop using it altogether and go to the dreaded (cough) mapquest which is also terrible, but not as bad as the new google maps.
chuck-it
02/23/2014 10:37 am
New google maps are ghasltly!!!!!!!!
Nico
02/24/2014 03:43 pm
can't embed a course with various location it only embed points A->B not A-B-C...Z like the old interface, a disaster..
ron
02/25/2014 04:09 am
I hate it. I need to print maps and with the new version I can't...I hate it
Truthism321
02/25/2014 12:13 pm
It is heartbreaking what is happening to Google ... they just completely screwed up my Maps experience ... I'm not just saying "oh things are hard to find", they're not ... simple searches that I used to do for "OBVIOUS" places no longer work ... they just don't. HATE IT.
daveatx
02/26/2014 01:20 am
Why, Why, WHY must we change things that don't need changing, like moving the controls from top left to bottom right? What POSSIBLE reason is there for doing that??? Yes, improve Google maps - I get it - go for it. But the changes should make sense and not just be CHANGE FOR THE SAKE OF CHANGE. It's idiotic.
silicon28
02/26/2014 09:30 pm
Is Google trying to chase people away like Facebook has managed to do? This "improvement" is useless and stupid. Do we have to stop using Google and go back to mapquest for them to realize what a mistake this was? Dumb...
hateupgrades
02/27/2014 06:28 pm
I hate that box on the map, you can't even move it or close it/reopen when needed, move it back and also put a search bar where you can search the internet without searching an address, did google even bother checking to see how people actually used this app before they upgraded it?
elnoren
02/27/2014 06:28 pm
Hate it.... just hate it. WHY do they have to tamper with what works? do Bing have maps? going to try and find out. Starting to really detest google- wish there was an alternative. They won't listen, though. >;-(
CmonMann
02/28/2014 12:07 am
link to old version og google maps - https://www.google.com/maps?output=classic
Bunk666
02/28/2014 02:27 am
Why don' they cover up the whole map instead of half of it with boxes and overlays ??
Ryan D
03/01/2014 09:00 am
Thanks. I cannot upvote this enough!
RW
03/01/2014 04:08 pm
Another horrible "improvement" to a product that was fine, made by some twit without a clue. Don't know about the mobile app version of the new google maps but the PC version is horrendous. It can't seem to fill the entire screen and stays within your browser, the street view is now all stretched and blurry at the sides and looks highly unprofessional when before it had realistic panoramic views, the entire view is cluttered with ugly overlays that for some bizarre reason you're not allowed to hide etc... Its now far less immersive making it far less fun to explore places with and far more unpleasant for actual navigation uses, far uglier and far less user friendly. You would think an update would make google maps more amazing, like the abilty to move through the streets in a smooth, realistic way. But no instead it seems to have drastically downgraded to what looks more like a poor imitation of google maps.
CM
03/01/2014 06:36 pm
Imagine my surprise when I went to Google Maps for the first time in several months and saw the "improved" page. Google is now just as good as Microsoft -- let's take a complex product that our customer base has finally mastered, and mess with it so much it's unrecognizable. Smart. If the new "look" weren't enough, now I can't print a map at all from Firefox. Just get a blank page. Swell.
Robert Misner
03/02/2014 06:42 am
Change aversion is a serious problem. You should just get used to the new features. They're pleasant, if not a little bit of a system hog.
Neal Ekengren
03/03/2014 02:12 am
god. the new one really does suck. there are numerous bugs. my list of map points brings popup info for other locations. changing an icon gives me double icons. the navigation is not intuitive. crap crap crap. google is the new microsoft. google maps used to be so awesome. now it really is unusable for me.
gil
03/03/2014 11:33 am
Huge thanks to you!
Guest
03/03/2014 12:45 pm
Boy it is terrible. Gone from a great product to a terrible one overnight. It is so bad I thought it must be my computer and did a full reboot. Can't understand the reasons for this debacle. Google is highly profitable, well staffed, experienced and professional - the best in my opinion - yet this is worse than anything Microsoft has put out.
Guest
03/03/2014 12:47 pm
It is not change - anybody can handle a product update. Google maps has gone from highly functional to totally dysfunctional.
Robert Misner
03/03/2014 12:54 pm
I'm not sure you're using the same Google Maps that I am. I use it several times a week and I have never had an issue with it.
Bubba
03/03/2014 01:39 pm
From your response I'm guessing all you ever do is type in the occasional address and never use the advanced features, because many are still broken or missing. You might find it pleasant to be handed a product that's less efficient and has less features than the one it's supposed to be an upgrade for, I don't. As a developer I can tell you this is a poorly managed, premature roll out that is actually a downgrade of a mature product. I have had the same printing issue as CM more than once. Try making a personal map or importing a list of map points or sending the map somewhere. I'm not averse to change but I am averse to a company shoving a piece of half finished beta-ware with less features down my throat and telling me it's an improvement and I should just get used to it ;)
Zack
03/03/2014 09:50 pm
I want to punch my screen. The new Google maps makes me want to switch to Bing. And that's not saying much...
wooster_sores
03/04/2014 01:55 pm
Another goatee beard f***up.
Jackie
03/04/2014 05:08 pm
Does not make my job easy at all.. may need to find a new program
NotAnUpgrade;ADisaster
03/05/2014 04:46 am
I agree. Instead of letting us actually look at the map, they want us to look at Google boxes and their forced Google+ integration. I predict their next update will be a bunch of Google+ boxes, with a little map down in the corner. Also, it freezes every browser on every computer I use - my home and work desktops and my Macbook. But, they ruined Picasaweb and have not listened to their users, so no reason they will listen to this, either. I know I'm counting down the days until classic Google maps is no longer available...
Christine
03/05/2014 09:04 am
That just a waste of resources for such an "upgrade". The "NEW" version of google map is very terrible. I cannot stand that for 4 mins, it just can't help. When I use the street view to see my route, I cannot see the route anymore in the small box at the left bottom corner. Then how can I know my route to view the street view?????? Just cannot believe it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STOP THE NEW VERSION AND BACK TO THE PREVIOUS VERSION. WE WILL THANK YOU AND KEEP USING IT. IF NOT, ITS REALLY TIME TO CIND ANOTHER MAPS.
Christine
03/05/2014 09:07 am
same here...counting down....sad!
r
03/05/2014 12:02 pm
I thought it was me....GOOGLE MAPS STINKS>>>>>IF IT AINT BROKE WHY FIX...THE YOUNGER TECH GENERATION THINK THEY KNOW EVERYTHING....I'M GOING BACK TO MAPQUEST or ANOTHER SITE....DO YOU TEST AT ALL....A PAIN THATS WHAT YOU ARE.
GrumpyOne
03/06/2014 03:06 am
Awful is all I can say. Never thought that I'd go back to Mapquest, but I have...
GrumpyOne
03/06/2014 03:08 am
Either that or he's a paid google dweeb...
Beavus B'head
03/06/2014 03:59 am
Thats the problem with todays technology. Almost everything I use on the internet eventually gets changed for NO REASON AT ALL! I personally think its just the "map people" finding ways to justify their jobs. They probably e-mail millions of complaints so they can stay on staff.
Beavus B'head
03/06/2014 04:01 am
They have to find a way to stay on staff.
Beavus B'head
03/06/2014 04:03 am
Remember when Coke came out with "New Coke"? It sucked, but when they went back it made them twice as popular. same thing.
Beavus B'head
03/06/2014 04:04 am
Not to mention the "route" with the blue line covers up the street names!!!
Beavus B'head
03/06/2014 04:05 am
You must not have used the old maps. They were awesome, this one sucks!
Beavus B'head
03/06/2014 04:06 am
After Obamacare, programmers know they can put out a bad product with no repercussions.
Beavus B'head
03/06/2014 04:13 am
maybe they just hired the Obamacare crew?
GrumpyOne
03/06/2014 05:11 am
Make that the "wrecking" crew!
Brian
03/06/2014 05:51 pm
Thought I'd never say this, but I'm officially a Bing user now (when it comes to maps).
Petrica
03/07/2014 07:05 am
Thank you so much for the link!!! I have really tried very hard to accept the new version , but just couldn't. So non-friendly
TullyToo
03/07/2014 12:42 pm
Please, please bring back the PRINT feature...where I can type in my own notes.
CmonMann
03/07/2014 03:07 pm
glad it was helpful! I am having a lot of difficulty using the new UI - not very intuitive
CmonMann
03/07/2014 03:07 pm
My pleasure - spread it around!
CmonMann
03/07/2014 03:08 pm
That's very kind, glad it was helpful
LindaFromNewYork
03/09/2014 08:33 pm
The new maps SUCKS. if it ain't broke...don't fix it. I used like to be able to "drive" some of the route and see the building or the house I was going to . Someone below mentioned Bing maps. So I guess that is what I will try to use. Yeah googlemaps made an assinine decision. Idiots.
Josh
03/10/2014 07:39 pm
It wasn't until the government got their dirty little hands on Google that everything about Google started to suck. Horribly.
mwakio
03/11/2014 04:12 am
I agree. The new Google Maps sucks. I tried to print directions and it just spit out a bunch of useless symbols. Useless. I hope they don't F*&c up Google Earth too.
Jesus Manson
03/11/2014 05:28 am
Yup, fuck this stupid bullshit. Every single thing is difficult and slow. If I wanted to win a bar fight I'd spend at least a good 30 seconds trying to work this shit and I'll be so pissed off I could kick anyone's ass.
Jesus Manson
03/11/2014 05:36 am
Honestly, I couldn't wait to start seeing comments like this spread like wildfire all over the web. What a fucking joke this Giggle Maps bullshit is. I live in Toronto, and I typed in my address and my destination point "Pizza Pizza" so I could grab a bite to eat on the way to work. It suggested "Pizza Nova". So I clicked, "Did you mean another 'Pizza Pizza'?" I thought to myself, "Well, actually, I just meant plain old fucking Pizza Pizza, bitch!" After I clicked on it, it then suggested pizza hut--it didn't bring up any Pizza Pizza at all. I was going to type more about why I hate this piece of shit but I honestly think I'm going to have a fucking heart attack. I need to step away from this fucking thing now and meditate. I agree with some other dude here: even Bing takes the cake over this joke of an upgrade...Giggle Maps.
whateverbro
03/11/2014 08:50 pm
The new Google maps sucks. I really enjoyed the old one and I can't really think of any improvements I would have made. There is an excess of clutter on the new maps, such as the drop downs in the top left, and all the photos across the bottom. The old way of viewing photos was far better because it actually showed you where in the field it was taken. Also, how do you make PegMan shut up? We've been introduced years ago but now he keeps going on and on saying 'Hello'.
Craig
03/14/2014 04:30 pm
I don't give a shit because I have Apple Maps on my iPhone and MacBook.
kellymbray
03/15/2014 07:46 am
When you zoom in to look at something using the earth view instead of a smooth crisp picture you get what looks like a bad cut and paste job with large black gaps and smeared pictures. Change aversion has nothing to do with. Crappy functionality does.
unhappy directions
03/15/2014 01:14 pm
Yep. Don't like the clutter or the new way of listing directions.
RUFKM?
03/16/2014 10:55 am
When major corporations try to fix something that isn't broke, you get things like this (and somebody at said corporation gets a promotion)
Not_Amazed
03/16/2014 11:49 pm
The "new" maps are outdated. For my area, in a major city, the maps are now 3+ years old...probably closer to 4 years old. We also lost a large area of "Street View".
slee
03/19/2014 03:57 pm
New Google maps sucks!!!! I'm going to Apple maps - what the hell was Google thinking?!!
T
03/19/2014 04:27 pm
Why are they always "changing" stuff around to have an excuse to be occupied? Some things were good the way they were: non "personalized search", non-mandatory tracking, Youtube with normal comments, Google Maps, etc. I'm looking for alternatives; I'm getting sick and tired of the "googleverse" which is getting a tighter grip around our necks.
Choy
03/19/2014 04:52 pm
I used to be able to type in "barber" then I could click "did you mean a different barber?" and then all the dots would appear on the map where I could find a barber. Those dots no longer appear. I often search for things purely based on location. It would appear they took that away from me.
Youcankeepyourplan
03/20/2014 02:17 pm
I hate it
truth_machine
03/22/2014 05:49 am
This thing sucks. It's hyper-interactive but doesn't have the fundamental feature of telling me what's near a location. Gawdawful. It's like the youtube comments system, which gets worse with every change.
truth_machine
03/22/2014 05:53 am
That's just stupid.
casey
03/24/2014 06:26 pm
This the worst. I'm over it
myxklptk
03/26/2014 01:04 pm
You can still get the old Google maps back... for now. I don't like the new maps and I don't want to have to learn how to use them when the old maps work fine. Too many people subscribe to the notion that everything has to be "new" all the time. I'm too old for all this crap!
1watching1
03/27/2014 01:37 am
It sucks. The search bar on upper left won't go away.
chris
03/27/2014 02:46 pm
Don't worry, luckily it still populates results 10000 miles away when you begin typing. I hate it when i get things relevant to what i need. Thanks google for not allowing any of the fluff to be turned off. I love that fact that the search window in the top left is always annoying and that a drop down menu from that takes even more space. I even love the pollution bar at the bottom of the screen that show me many things i will never use.
Fingolfin Rhûndagnir
03/28/2014 02:26 am
Absolutely horrible. Very slow even on a relatively new computer, always defaults to the Dallas/Forth Worth area, and completely freezes if left alone for a few minutes. How could they POSSIBLY think this was ready to go live?
Angie
03/28/2014 05:00 pm
confusing. difficult to view. not user friendly
William_JD
03/29/2014 12:30 am
You can't zoom in or pull out.
William_JD
03/29/2014 12:38 am
Haha - very droll.
Bardaling
03/29/2014 04:45 am
Used to be able to easily email a link to an address. The entire 'upgraded' interface is horrible. Will start looking for a new map tool for the first time in 10 years.
joe_g99
03/30/2014 10:14 am
The new maps is rubbish, it looks nicer and has cool animations but if you want to do anymore than look at it and 'oooo' its rubbish, its slower and is missing half the functionality of the old map's, I'm all for progress but replacing actual functionality with pointless animations is just a dev/designer circle jerk that forgot to involve the actual use cases
BobT
03/30/2014 09:27 pm
I heartily agree --- the new version sucks!! Need to look for another tool! Don't fix if it isn't broken!!
Donna
04/02/2014 03:29 pm
This new map is dreadful. Can't navigate, can't see, can't zoom in to get the real info, can't change travel. The directions are LUDICROUS. Most horrible. Upper left bar DOES not go away. No embedding. Printing simple directions uses three pages. I can't say enough about the lack of user qualities. Already using mapquest, even though it is way below the old google map standards. Even town maps are better. Jeez.
dmm1047
04/03/2014 03:01 am
The new map is terrible, Gone is the marker to show where the address is. Some street views aren't even the same street we're looking for. The new system seems to show less side roads. You can't readily tell if you're headed north or south. Why can't anyone leave well enough alone. This stinks.
dmm1047
04/03/2014 03:04 am
Imagine that someone actually got pay to F--K this up.
Melissa Watts
04/03/2014 10:52 am
"Change aversion is a serious problem." So are unemployed fat guys with mustaches, Misner.
Robert Misner
04/03/2014 11:32 am
Burn
hrdwrkr
04/03/2014 05:00 pm
#1 gripe I have is that I can no longer paste a 3 line address into the search and have it auto-reformatted to 1 line that was accepted by the search and resulted in exactly what I need.
Stan Ian
04/03/2014 09:34 pm
Absolutely horrible. Bring back the old google maps.
Рон Джамин
04/04/2014 06:15 pm
This map is unusable. I've resorted to using Bing. How can a company screw up so badly on one of their most used products. They did the same thing with YouTube and the Google+ crapola. I'm beginning to hate Google as much as Microshaft.
irakundji
04/07/2014 06:31 am
***hahaha***** not 1 comment in 83 from anyone that says "I love what Google has done with the new Maps"!!! Is anyone at Google listening?!? it sucks! sluggish and all around not user friendly! If you want, I can give you a few pages of the functions I was use to on the old Maps that just simply doesn't work in the new one. And I'll do it for free! If only in exchange that you bring back the old Maps, or at least let me use it, these other guys....they can go to Bing! hahaha
irakundji
04/07/2014 06:34 am
I've found the answer girlies! And I just switched back! " There is a way to revert back to the old Google Maps on your computer. Just go to Google Maps and Click the Help button (white question mark in a blue circle) at the bottom. Click Return to classic Google Maps."
irakundji
04/07/2014 06:35 am
I'll swallow my words and shove it up my a**, i guest someone at Google was listening!
irakundji
04/07/2014 06:36 am
i like Google again!
disgusted with google
04/07/2014 02:26 pm
I hate the new maps, it sucks, typical google like microsoft, the control everything you do, it is really designed for the stupidist people on the planet.
Stophy
04/07/2014 02:51 pm
Riveting article...
January girl
04/08/2014 12:12 am
Agree with lots of other comments about functionality - but BY FAR what I miss is Satellite Maps!!! Google Earth is just dreadful and not a useable alternative. Aside from slowing even my new, fast computer on a decent broadband connection, its main claim to fame still seems to be you can see 3D maps. Whoopee. I use a combo of Satellite and Street View on the old maps and find what I want ASAP, even allowing for some being out-of-date. If they bring back Satellite Maps to the new Google Maps and fix some of the other bugs and bad useability mentioned by others here, I may be able to force myself to find it acceptable. For now, Not A Chance.
duh
04/11/2014 12:32 am
then make one that's better!!
duh
04/11/2014 12:32 am
then make one that's better!
joe_g99
04/11/2014 02:14 pm
What? why would I want that headache when all I have to do too use a better map is click the question mark and select the old version, failing that bing is a perfectly acceptable alternative
Denis Markovich
04/13/2014 10:15 pm
Google Maps simply sucks.
Fritz Krefeld
04/14/2014 05:24 am
I agree, Google has a head swelled to the size of a planet. They've royally screwed up Maps and are shoving it down our throats whether we like it or not. Note: I'm not against change - I love it in general - but the new maps is a real pain in the rear. Slow, bloated, sluggish, the road lines obscure items I want to see, etc. etc. I have also switched to Bing maps. Way to go, Sergei! Whatever happened to "Don't be evil" ? Long gone I guess. Along a similar vein, I no longer use ANY Google products, paid or free. Why, you didn't ask? Because the moment Google realizes they're not going to get 90% market share for whatever product under discussion, they simply drop the product. They've screwed tens millions of people this way, multiple times.
Elliott Wall
04/14/2014 05:55 am
Hah, I just found this thread. I just went to look something up on streetview and I have *aaabsolutely* no idea how to do it. I'm astounded at how badly Google blunders things. It actually forced me to launch Apple's map app for the first time, but of course it's also astoundingly bad. Now tomorrow I suppose I get to drive past the interesting place I wanted to refer someone to just take a picture which I can send via email— this would then have officially been a reversion to a pre-2008 type, pre google maps workflow, which sounds refreshing to me right now, actually
Paul
04/14/2014 08:40 am
the new "globe" street view does not have a mileage scale. Useless !!
kwixote
04/15/2014 02:13 pm
This version is far inferior to the previous. There is no way to print a map, which is the main thing I do with Google maps...
Foobar
04/16/2014 09:34 pm
I agree this version is much worse than the previous one. No way to print. Plenty of UI tools that get in the way. Less map space (very painful on my MBA). Slower. Hey, google, could you stop "improving" what works, please ????
8o88y
04/17/2014 02:55 am
S-L-O-W-E-R, indeed. Sometimes it won't work at all for me. Change for the sake of change. "Fixing" what wasn't broken.
8o88y
04/17/2014 03:01 am
Thank you for posting that.
8o88y
04/17/2014 03:07 am
I was wondering whether they made the change just to force people to have massive bandwidth to make it work, just to sell more Google fiber. When people make changes that don't make any sense, one has to begin looking for ulterior motives, for SOME reason to justify it.
salim
04/18/2014 06:16 am
i think Google map new version has a lot of limitation more than previous.so bring back old version (with white search box and zooming option of full screen) as early as possible.remember so called change of idea cannot be accepted and it might brought a disaster for popularity of Google map.
Tulio Troche
04/18/2014 01:07 pm
This new version of the google maps is pretty, sure. But It has so many limitations compared to the old one. I used to be able to add a ton of addresses to my route easily and move them around quickly without thinking to be out of the door in 5 minutes. Now it takes me at least 20 minutes to do all my route because i have to stop and link multiple routes together and figure out which is which (no more A,B,C labels). I've gone to MapQuest for now, i hate using it, but it's better than google maps for now.
Filippo Gregoretti
04/18/2014 02:18 pm
What I hate about this version, you cannot launch a search before the whole stone-age javascript engine is loaded. That means pressing return several times with no effect.
Hate New Google Maps
04/18/2014 07:18 pm
Surely Google must have test-driven the new maps before they released? I guess their focus group is based at the San Diego zoo. But which cage?
NickRepublic
04/20/2014 06:54 am
Nearly spewed my Coke over my monitor when I read that. VERY funny and VERY true. I'm with you. Never thought the height of a tree would get in my way when looking at a "flat" map.
Preston McCullough
04/20/2014 06:57 am
I agree. The new Google Maps sucks! No scrolling. When you hit zoom, a little satellite box in the corner zooms in and out; no way to zoom out and see the location in relation to nearby areas that are familiar. A mysterious box appears that takes up about a third of your top left screen, telling you about restaurants, that you can't get rid of. It's really completely useless!
NickRepublic
04/20/2014 07:03 am
Dear Google, Statement 1: Your new Maps suck. Statement 2: You've had nine months to beta-test this and you still haven't found a way to bring back the multiple destination/multiple route options. Statement 3: This limited functionality is unacceptable in a supposedly sophisticated software platform even in beta. Any questions? Refer to Statement 1. Signed, NewGoogleMapsSuck915.
NickRepublic
04/20/2014 07:05 am
Not to mention, the zoom function wasn't held up by a blasted tree or small hill of all things!
Pavel Stroganov
04/21/2014 01:57 am
While you can actually add multiple destinations, it's non-intuitive, buggy, and irritating. You apparently have to enter your starting point, then click a light grey plus sign. Maybe Google should have spent less on lobbyists and more on beta-testing one of their core products!