You may not have paid much attention to Google Maps, but this summer saw a number of upgrades and updates to one of Google's longest-running products

The latest is a small redesign of the pins that appear on Maps as you navigate around the world; as discovered by 9to5 Google, the iconic “pin” shape with a sharp bottom has been incrementally changed to something more rounded, fringed, and modern However, given that the Google Maps logo is a sharply pointed pin, it is a somewhat odd choice

Most of the icons on the pins themselves remain unchanged Instead, only the actual pin design is changed So, for example, in a coffee shop, the mug will still appear on top of the orange pin, but the tip of the pin will be softer and the icon will be placed on a white background However, it matches the existing look of stars, hearts, and flags

Some icons have been color changed so that the museum shifts from teal to purple, but some, like the beach and the zoo, remain the same color, just a lighter shade

Perhaps the redesign is to allow Google to add more pins to the map

The design changes are in line with the ongoing makeover of the Maps app It is intended to showcase more of the map on the screen, with smaller icons, the elimination of the full-screen overlay, and more rounded corners Google also added more UI interfaces, like an X button to close the overlay and the ability to quickly swipe down the info screen to view the map

Other features added to the map this year include a new AR-powered way to explore landmarks Similarly, in May, a way to find EV charging stations was added And with Google looking to add AI to everything, not to mention the AI-powered map upgrades

Google tends to roll out updates over several days, so if you don't see the new pins now, you might want to wait a day or so Otherwise, the small redesign is available in the Android, iOS, and Maps web interfaces starting today