In July, we announced the Experimental release of several new Cloud-based maps styling capabilities for the Maps JavaScript API. Cloud-based maps styling gives you granular control over the look and feel of the base map by letting you customize 100+ styleable map elements like labels visibility, areas fill color, and stroke settings. Today we’re announcing the Preview release of the next-generation of Cloud-based maps styling with key updates to make it easier and more intuitive for you to style the base map.
More than 100 map features are now available to customize across web and mobile platforms
What’s new in Preview?
In Preview, we’ve added support for Android and iOS, enabling developers to build experiences that are consistent across platforms using the next-generation of Cloud-based maps styling. We’ve also added popular features such as POI density to give you flexibility over the number of POIs you can show on a map to provide richer context to your users.
Adjust the number of points of interest to be displayed on a map with POI Density
And based on customer feedback, we’ve updated the classification of several features to make them easier to look up and style. For instance, we’ve added high-level categories to help you style similar features together. You can now find features such as Water, Archipelago, Continent, Island, and Land Cover under ‘Natural’ so you can quickly style all ‘Natural’ features at once. We’ve also removed the limitation on the number of features you can customize.
New ‘Natural’ category includes features such as Continent, Island, Archipelago, Landcover, and Water to make them easier to find and style together
Customers have already been using Cloud-based maps styling to easily convey information to their users in a visually engaging and intuitive way. For instance, Rocket Entertainment used Cloud-based maps styling along with other customization features to style a map for Elton John’s farewell tour. The basemap compliments the themes of the ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ tour and evokes Elton’s connection to L.A.’s Dodger Stadium and other local favorites.
Ready to get started?
These capabilities will be available to all customers who use the Dynamic Maps product offering. Head to the cloud console to opt-in to try the next-generation of Cloud-based maps styling.
How to opt-in for the next-generation of Cloud-based maps styling
If you would like to learn more about Cloud-based maps styling, check out the documentation.
For more information on Google Maps Platform, visit our website.
