Google Maps is the most popular and convenient navigator for mobile phones. The tool allows you to share your location data with relatives, friends, and colleagues. Google has made a small visual change that looks modern and neat.

Some attentive users may have noticed the updated look of shared pins. But these changes are actually minor. Google removed the familiar white border around the profile picture. There is only a small white pin under the photo. You can see it when selecting the detailed location information about the user. The icon still retains the elements of the originally shared pin. 

The previous version was like a physical map with a certain number of markers on the surface. Inside these markers was a white framed profile picture. These icons showed the location of users. Updated shared pins have a more streamlined and voluminous look. Apparently, Google developers decided to gradually move away from the classic design towards a more modern volumetric one. They follow trends in interface development.

It is unclear what tasks this update solves other than matching the modern style of Google Maps. For the user, this design does not change anything in particular. Unless you will be pleased with a more concise look of the icons. Although, without a white frame, there is no legible contrast on the screen. 

The new view is unavailable to all Google Maps users as the update is going through the server now. It takes a certain amount of time, even for small changes with the interface, usually about 2 weeks. Users will see the changes in the update Maps 11.38.2 on the Play Store.

How do you like the modern shared pins from Google Maps? Do you think these changes are necessary, or do they not make sense?