Google Geo Developers Blog: Static Maps API v2: Encoded Paths, Polygons & Geocoding →
googlegeodevelopers.blogspot.com
Now, in order to support the top requested features and to make it easy to fulfill future requests, we’ve rewritten the API and are launching the new interface as Static Maps API v2.
The main new features are:
- Paths can be specified as encoded polylines.
- Paths can be filled and rendered as polygons.
- Locations (in center, markers, or path parameters) can now be specified as addresses instead of latitude/longitude coordinates.
- Colors can now be specified as any 24-bit or 32-bit color.