Google’s product management director for Maps, Bernhard Seefeld, unveiled what they called “The Future of Google Maps”, at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco today (15 May 2013).

Among the features announced is the display of locations returned from searches in Maps right on the map, rather than in a sidebar.

Clicking on a place name, along with bringing up a card with information pertinent to the place, also contextually turns on and off the names of roads leading to the location.

Location cards are also able to show photos of a place, and clicking on them launches a 3D photo tour generated from user-uploaded photos.

“No plugins, no downloads,” Seefeld said, “The Google Earth experience right in the browser.”

Maps will also pull recommendation data from Google Now, showing things such as restaurants friends have recommended, and favourite places that you have “starred”.

Navigation in Google Maps has also been improved, with Seefeld saying that driving and public transit directions are shown at the same time.

Seefeld said that sign-ups for a preview of the “future of Maps” would be open at maps.google.com/preview.

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