Google Maps Color Codes Simplify Navigation but Blue Icons Cause Confusion

Google Maps introduced a color-coded system in 2017 to help users quickly identify different types of locations. The purple icons, for instance, mark attractions like cinemas, museums, amusement parks, monuments, and historical sites. Notable landmarks such as The Statue of Liberty have unique pictograms, while other attractions like the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and the Holland Tunnel ventilation shafts are marked with purple pins. Other colors include pink for hotels, orange for food and drink spots, and green for natural attractions like parks and beaches.

The blue icons, however, have sparked some criticism due to their varied shades and representations. A lighter cornflower blue denotes services like banks, ATMs, gas stations, and car rentals, while parking facilities use an even lighter shade. Truer blue icons indicate a wide range of retailers, from supermarkets to car dealers. Airports are marked with dark gray pins for terminals and a darker blue for the entire airport. This color scheme can be confusing, especially for users with colorblindness or those quickly navigating the app in situations like using Android Auto at a red light.