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Future-Proof Your App with the New Google Maps Platform Places SDK
Heads-Up for Google Maps Platform Developers!
Google is making some significant updates to the Places SDK for Android and iOS, and we want to make sure you’re well-prepared for the transition. This is more than a maintenance update—it’s a move toward a more efficient, modern, and powerful set of tools that will future-proof your applications.
The Countdown Is On
The good news? You have plenty of time to plan and execute these updates. The older, deprecated features won’t be officially removed until the Q3 2026 SDK releases—specifically, v6.0 for Android and v11.0 for iOS. This gives you a comfortable window to migrate your code and prepare your application for the future of location services.
What’s Changing? Key Migrations to Note
Several familiar classes and methods are being retired, covering core functionality like SDK initialization, current location detection, photo retrieval, and autocomplete handling.
Here is a high-level summary of the most critical changes:
A specific note for Android developers: The PlaceLikelihood class is being retired with no direct replacement.
To start your migration, make sure you’re using the minimum versions: v4.4.1 or later for Android and v9.1.0 or later for iOS.
Your Action Items: Enable the New Places API
The new methods are all powered by the Places API (New) service. To successfully make the switch, take these proactive steps:
- Enable the service: In your Google Cloud project, enable the new Places API (New) service.
- Verify setup: Confirm your API keys, quotas, and pricing are correctly configured for this new service.
Think of this migration as a critical, proactive step. By updating your code over the next year, your application will continue to run smoothly, efficiently, and with access to the latest features from Google Maps Platform.
For a complete, in-depth breakdown of all changes and detailed, step-by-step migration instructions, we highly recommend you consult the official Places API (New) migration guides.
We’re Here to Help
We understand that migrations can be complex and time-consuming. Woolpert is here to help make this a seamless transition. If you run into roadblocks, need specialized consultation, or just want assistance with a clean migration, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts.
Contact us at [email protected] for support.
