Google still has a long way to go, however, when it comes to maps, specifically indoor maps. The search giant already has quite a few indoor maps, but as it says, this is the next frontier.

“Mapping streets and buildings is the hard part,” Google says. “But the even harder part is mapping indoors. Not only is Google acquiring floor plans for major buildings and venues, but we’re also working out ways to provide positioning data inside those buildings. When GPS doesn’t work, how do you find your place on the map?”

Sarah Peterson and Waleed Kadous talk about just that in this Google I/O session, which Google has now made available to the general public:

Last week, a couple screen caps of an apparently upcoming Google Maps redesign leaked. While the authenticity of these was questioned, it seemed likely that they were real. Now, it’s pretty much certain than they were, as another leak has sprung ahead of Google I/O.

DroidLife reported on a sign-up page for the new Google Maps leaking last night, and has shared screenshots of that. Luckily for those interested, this includes descriptions of all the new features, so we don’t have to wait for Google’s keynote today to learn about what it does (assuming this is where they are planning on unveiling it, which seems highly likely).

There are a lot of new features. Here is Google’s run down from the leak:

The most comprehensive map, now built for you: The new Google Maps draws you a tailored map for every search and click you make. So whatever you’re trying to find or wherever you’re trying to go, you’ll always have a map highlighting the things that matter most.

A map that gets better with use: As you search the map, star places you like and leave reviews, the map starts to adapt and can suggest things like restaurants you might enjoy or the quickest way home. In other words, the more you use the new Google Maps, the more helpful it becomes.

It’s a pretty big overhaul, and one that seems like it will only make Google’s hugely popular maps service all the more useful, though we’ll have to wait until people can start using it to truly now how good the revamp is.

It will be interesting to see if any complaints come out from competitors. Don’t forget the FairSearch Coalition was formed because of Google’s Flight Search feature, and it looks like they’re making that a much more prominent part of the Google experience.

“Through this project, we use high-quality map data from authoritative sources around the world and then apply a mix of advanced algorithms, supplemental data (including satellite, aerial and Street View imagery), and human input to help create a map that mirrors the real world as closely as possible,” explains Brian McClendon, VP Google Maps and Google Earth.

“For example, the updated map for Thailand now provides more comprehensive information about the Bangkok city center,” adds McClendon. ” So next time you happen to find yourself needing to cross the Chao Phraya River, you’ll be able to see that many ferry routes across the river are now mapped in greater detail, with route names shown and piers clearly marked. You can also pinpoint nearby points of interest, such as the Grand Palace and other sites like Wat Pho (the Temple of the Reclining Buddha).”

Google has added more info to the maps as well, including improved local language labels and more detailed coverage of prominent places, such as universities and hospitals.

Additionally, Google is now including more of Thailand and Indonesia’s natural geography. Many of Indonesia’s 17,000 islands, for example, are appearing on Google Maps for the first time. This includes Komodo Island.

This week, Google also released its biggest update to date for Street View.

Google first announced the Mapathon back in February, saying that they were trying to create better maps for India, “a country where even paper maps have historically lacked in details.” Google offered prizes to participants – including Android tablets, phones, and various bits of Google swag. All Google asked people to do was add location details via Google Map Maker.

The Mapathon officially began on February 12th and was over by March 25th.

According to Google India, the Mapathon was a huge success. They reported new information on 32,000 emergency locations like hospitals, 82,000 food updates, and 42,000 map updates on places of worship. None of the information collected via Map Maker had anything to do with “sensitive places,” according to Google.

But the Indian Survey agency wasn’t too happy about it, and they asked Google to cease the promotion as it was “likely to jeopardize national security interest and violates National Map Policy.”

The Indian federal survey and mapping agency has filed an official complaint, and the head of the agency says that they plan to take the issue to Parliament later this month. Apparently, local law says that companies must obtain expressed permission from the proper authorities in order to operate a map project like the one Google sponsored. Failure to do so opens up such companies to local prosecution.

But Google India spokesperson Roy Chowdhury says that Google did in fact informed local officials of its mapping project, and that it complied with all local regulations.

“We take security and national regulations very seriously, and we’re open to discussing specific concerns with public authorities and officials,” said Chowdhury.

[Wall Street Journal (paywall) via Search Engine Land]

More specifically, Namie-machi, a small city in Fukushima Prefecture that’s in the Fukushima exclusion zone. That means that although years have passed since the nuclear accident that occurred as a result of the great earthquake of 2011, Namie-machi’s residents are still unable to return to their city.

And that affects 21,000 people, according to a Google blog post.

Google’s Street View team combed through the deserted town, and what you have is some more stunning imagery from a natural disaster. Back in December of 2011, Google unveiled Street View imagery of the earthquake and tsunami-torn northeastern coast of Japan.

Here’s the kind of stuff you’ll see:

Namie-machi mayor Tamotsu Baba explains the above image:

This image shows an area located one kilometer inland from the Pacific Ocean. In the distance you can see Ukedo Elementary School. Nearby Ukedo Harbor once proudly boasted 140 fishing boats and 500 buildings, but suffered some of the worst tsunami damage. After being set off-limits, we have not been able to clean up the wreckage on the side of the road, including the many fishing boats that were washed several kilometers inland.

Baba goes on to heartbreakingly convey that some people just want to see the state of their home.

“Many of the displaced townspeople have asked to see the current state of their city, and there are surely many people around the world who want a better sense of how the nuclear incident affected surrounding communities.”

You can start looking around Namie-machi today.

Starting today, you can check out some incredible Street View images from the tops of some of the tallest mountains in the world.

“Now you can explore some of the most famous mountains on Earth, including Aconcagua (South America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Elbrus (Europe) and Everest Base Camp (Asia) on Google Maps. These mountains belong to the group of peaks known as the Seven Summits—the highest mountain on each of the seven continents. While there’s nothing quite like standing on the mountain, with Google Maps you can instantly transport yourself to the top of these peaks and enjoy the sights without all of the avalanches, rock slides, crevasses, and dangers from altitude and weather that mountaineers face,” says Google.

Check out Uhuru, which at 19,341 ft. is the highest point on Mount Kilimanjaro. Or Russia’s Mount Elbrus and its small encampment of huts made from Soviet-era fuel barrels.

Seen below is the Aconcagua summit, the highest mountain in South America and the highest point viewable in Street View (22,800 ft):

This awesome imagery is the work of years of climbing, starting in 2011 with a trip to Everest base camp.

“This imagery was collected with a simple lightweight tripod and digital camera with a fisheye lens—equipment typically used for our Business Photos program,” says Google’s “lead adventurer” Dan Fredinburg.

“In every one of these trips you are going up against the elements,” he told The L.A. Times. “In the Everest expedition, a plane crashed similar to the one that we were on to get in, and after that, there was three days of mudslides, snowstorms and then there was the earthquake, which was a 6.9 magnitude earthquake which was absolutely terrifying for everyone who was on the expedition as well as the locals.”

You can start exploring the World’s Highest Peaks gallery here.

According to the report, Google’s mapping unit will become part of the search division, and the commerce will fall under the advertising division.

The personnel blowback of this is that Google SVP Jeff Huber is out of a job – but not really. He’s actually moving on to another Google unit.

Huber joined Google back in 2003 and up until now was the Senior Vice President of Geo and Commerce, overseeing maps, payments, and travel. He also led engineering & development for AdWords, AdSense, DoubleClick, and for Google Apps.

Huber will be joining Google X, the Sergey Brin-led secret projects wings of Google that is responsible for the company’s crazier ideas – like Google Glass.

Finishing up my first decade at Google, and excited to begin the next one at Google X. What would you like to see X do next?

— Jeff Huber (@jhuber) March 14, 2013

Of course, this isn’t the only big shift at Google this week. Yesterday, we told you that longtime Android head Andy Rubin was stepping down and being replaced by Sundar Pichai, SVP of Chrome and apps. Google CEO Larry Page said that Rubin would be starting a “new chapter” at Google, but didn’t do into any more details? Is everyone running to Google X?

In other, non-personnel-related drama, Google also announced that they were shutting down Google Reader on July 1st. So much drama in the MVHQ.

[Wall Street Journal]

Version 1.1 now allows you to search you Google contacts inside the app. When you sign in, you’ll be able to see all of your friends’ saved addresses – even if they aren’t stored on your device.

The update also adds category searches for locations, meaning that you can browse local bars, restaurants, etc. within the app.

Here’s the full list of what’s new in v1.1:

• Search your Google Contacts; sign in to have your saved addresses show up when you search for friends and family by name.
• Quickly search for local places by selecting popular categories such as restaurants, bars, cafes, gas stations, etc.
• Choose between Kilometers or Miles for your preferred distance units.

Google finally launched a native iOS maps app back in December after Apple booted it from iOS 6. Considering how ill-received Apple Maps was, it was no surprise that Google Maps for iOS took off, topping 10 million downloads in just two days.

You can snag the update right now on iTunes.

According to the studies, the industry is valued at up to $270 billion per year, paying out $90 billion in wages. The U.S. alone has over 500,000 people employed in the industry.

“We’re proud of the contributions that Google Maps and Earth, the Google Maps APIs and our Enterprise solutions have made to the geo services industry and to making maps more widely available, but there’s a long way to go,” says VP Google Geo, Brian McLendon.

“1.1 billion hours of travel time saved each year? That’s a lot of time,” says McLendon. “Also, consider UPS, which uses map technology to optimize delivery routes—saving 5.3 million miles and more than 650,000 gallons of fuel in 2011. And every eight seconds, a user hails a taxi with Hailo, which used maps and GPS to deliver more than 1 million journeys in London alone last year. Finally, Zipcar uses maps to connect more than 760,000 customers to a growing fleet of cars in locations around the world.”

Full reports can be found here.

“The goal of Google Maps is to provide people with the most comprehensive, accurate, and easy-to-use modern map of the world,” said Google Map Maker senior product manager Jayanth Mysore. “As part of this mission, we’re constantly working to add more detailed map data in areas that traditionally have been mostly blank. For a long time, one of the largest places with limited map data has been North Korea. But today we are changing that with the addition of more detailed maps of North Korea in Google Maps.”

“To build this map, a community of citizen cartographers came together in Google Map Maker to make their contributions such as adding road names and points of interest,” added Mysore. This effort has been active in Map Maker for a few years and today the new map of North Korea is ready and now available on Google Maps. As a result, the world can access maps of North Korea that offer much more information and detail than before.”

Google acknowledges that the map is not perfect, and it is encouraging people to continue using Map Maker to help it improve.

The updated maps are now live .