Google Maps mobile experience expands with five star rating system

At Google I/O, Google discussed its Maps service, and they're coming out with an updated version for Android and iOS devices (go figure), as well as a completely new Google Maps user interface. They're previewing the new version on stage, and have announced a slew of new features coming to both mobile and web versions.

The new Google Maps includes a new search experience with the results labeled right on the map in real time, as well as Google+ integration. However, a big feature of the new Google Maps is personalization. Google wants to cater Maps towards every user, and give them the ability to create custom maps of sorts that highlight places of interest and other establishments that users frequent.

There's a new five-star rating system in place now, so when you search for a place, it will now show you a review score out of five stars, based on reviews from friends and other users who have been there. There's also an improved Zagat interface complete with full editorial reviews and Zagat scores.

Navigation is also getting some updates as well, with an improved view of real-time incidents, including re-routing. So when you approach a closed road or slow traffic, the app will serve a pop up and suggest that you change your route in order to get to your destination quicker.

Google also announced Google Maps for iPad, as well as an enhanced interface for Android tablets, which will be releasing at some point this summer, and will include some new features such as Explore, where it provides a self-explanatory experience for looking around a map, and even looking at indoor maps of malls and airports, just like on the smartphone and web versions.

Overall, Google announced that they've reached 200 countries covered thanks to their own data, as well as crowd-sourced data, with North Korea being the 200th country added on to Google Maps. Street View also reached 50 countries recently, with 5 million miles of road covered already. Furthermore, Google Maps is on over one million websites, which results in over a billion people visiting Google Maps every week.