Google to Integrate Map Maker With Google Maps

Google Map Maker is the latest Google product to be discontinued. Before you begin worrying, the good news here is that it'll be integrated with Google Maps, which means that just the standalone Map Maker tool will be discontinued. In a blog post, Google said this change will be carried out in March 2017.

Map Maker is the tool that lets you edit data in Google Maps. This is what allowed Google's community to update Google Maps much faster than any one entity can manage. Google's blog post reads: "Starting today, edits made on Google Maps will no longer be available for moderation on Map Maker. This will allow us to streamline our efforts, speeding up the time for an edit to get published."

This indicates that the move intends to consolidate all maps data under one product and the Map Maker tool appears to have outlived its usefulness for Google. The blog post adds: "This update will enable us to focus on providing the best editing and moderation experience within Google Maps on both desktop and on mobile. We'll continue to roll out new features to make sure you're able to do most of the things you've grown accustomed to doing in Map Maker - like edit roads - leading up to March 2017 and after." If you want to continue to help improve Google Maps, Google says you should join the Local Guides program.

Google Map Maker has had its fair share of controversies in the past. The service was suspended briefly after several spam attacks back in May 2015. Some of these included a location showing an Android robot urinating on an Apple logo, and a note that wasn't too happy with Google's review policy for Maps.