Google Maps is no longer flat when you zoom out

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Google Maps users may notice something a bit different when they next zoom out – it’s no longer flat.

The popular website has decided to do away with the flat projection of Earth as you continue to zoom out and swapped it for a round 3D sphere instead called Globe Mode.

When zooming out fully in satellite mode there is also the option to explore other planets, as well as moons, in a similar fashion to Google Maps’s counterpart Google Earth.

At the moment, the update can only be seen on desktops, while the Google Maps mobile and tablet apps remain flat.

The move is one of the latest tweaks Google has made to the service, after a new battery feature popped up in its opt-in location sharing option earlier this week.

Location sharing within the Google Maps app now shows friends and family your battery life, which could be useful in helping to reassure them if your location suddenly disappears due to battery loss.