This was an interesting surprise. I went to look something up using Google maps using a browser, which I don't do often anymore with Google Earth installed, and I noticed a fairly major update.
Interface
The interface looked cleaner with little white space. Menu bars were compact and shrunken, put off to the sides to maximize viewable map area. The icon to switch between satellite and map (no aerial photos) was also live, updating along with the larger viewport in real-time.
Most of the icon bars for zooming in, the Street View pin dude, options, etc. were in the bottom right corner. Last I recall, it was usually in the top right or left.
My Location
One interesting new feature that I noticed was the "My Location" button in the bottom right corner. I turned off the location thing in my browser, but it seemed interesting according to the help section. Apparently, it allows one to shift the map to one's current location.
It probably wouldn't be much use for me, even if I had the "find your location" thing turned on in my browser. Why? Because I've been centering maps on my location for the past decade using various maps. I don't often use internet outside of home and work (no smartphone), which is where the main benefit would probably be. In that case, it'd be almost like a GPS. Not sure how many standard GPS functions would be included.
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