Google is launching some UK-centric new widgets today, including local, maps and an SMS service.
I've been trying to find out whether people will be able to fool around with the British maps like they have done with the American ones (the data is supplied by NavTeq and TeleAtlas, who also did the US maps - but it's not apparent whether it's open information in the British version).
This morning I spoke to Kate Burns, managing director of advertising sales for Google UK, who told me what this means to the company.
"Local search fits in with Google's mission," she told me. "We see this as complementing local information providers as well. We're driving information to people when they're already searching for it, answering the needs of our customers."
We've marvelled at Google's maps on Onlineblog, and now we can marvel at a British version. Some of the extra gubbins (satellite imagery etc) aren't yet available, but surely that's just a matter of time. Can we expect more focus on British product from the Mountain View firm?
"We take it very seriously," says Burns. "The UK is a significant market outside the US, and a lot of work has gone into localising this information. This is a comment on how seriously Google takes it."
So what can you do with these UK services that you can't do with the American version?
"Well, you can search by neighbourhood - Soho, Kensington etc - or by train or tube stations, or by streets, specifically London streets. People in London are much more likely to search this way than by postcode."
They're fairly clear on why they're going for the local market - advertising revenue from small, localised businesses - but wouldn't give any hint of things to come.
