According to records, Google Maps has started adjusting administrative boundary data in Vietnam, but the update is currently only localized and not synchronized throughout the system.
Landmarks can be searched on both web versions and mobile applications without software updates. When searching for Phu Tho province, the map displays a new administrative scope, including areas previously belonging to Vinh Phuc and Hoa Binh.
However, the update has only appeared in some provinces and cities. In many other places, Google Maps still displays old boundaries or does not return results according to new place names. Data at the commune and district levels has not yet been adjusted according to administrative changes. Currently, Google has not made an official comment on this update.
Google's move comes more than 8 months after Vietnam implemented the merger of administrative units, bringing the number of provinces and cities from 63 to 34 and sharply reducing the number of communes and wards. Over the past time, some digital services such as delivery have quickly updated new place names in text form. Users expect map platforms to soon complete data synchronization to make lookup more convenient.
Previously, in a technical document published on IssueTracker, a change tracking system for the developer community, Google said it is expected to deploy the adjustment in mid-February and recommended developers to update the API related to the Google Maps Platform.
Google Maps Platform is a map data platform used for Google Maps and many digital services such as location search, booking, delivery. When background data changes, the way addresses are displayed and processed on applications may be affected.
