According to a technical document posted on IssueTracker - the official change tracking system for the developer community of Google Maps Platform, Google Maps is said to be preparing to adjust the classification and display of place names in Vietnam.
This move takes place in the context that many administrative units have merged but map data has not been updated synchronously, especially related to the way communes, wards and some special areas are displayed.
Google Maps Platform is the background map data source for Google Maps and many other digital services such as location search, booking, delivery. Therefore, changes on this level will often gradually have a chain reaction effect on the way addresses are displayed and processed on map applications for end users, although the specific time and scope of deployment may be different.
The above move attracted attention in the context that Vietnam has completed the arrangement and merger of many district and commune-level administrative units. However, according to records, Google Maps still displays the name of commune, ward or old place name, different from the information currently used in administrative papers and transactions.
According to the description in the technical document, this adjustment does not change the location or geographical boundaries on the map, but focuses on how the system labels and classifies place names. The update is expected to be implemented in many stages, first applying in the data layer, then expanding to search and location suggestion features.
