Google unveils 3D cities in Google Earth and offline Google Maps for Android
google maps,google maps,google maps directions,google maps street view,google maps api,google maps mobile,google maps driving directions,google maps pedometer,google maps quest,google maps api key,google maps event
Offline mapping
Google's 3D cityscapes will make their debut in the Google Earth mobile apps
Google has announced several new features for its mapping services, including 3D cityscapes in Google Earth, and an offline mode for its Google Maps Android application.
The announcements today (6 June) will be seen as a pre-emptive strike against Apple, which at its WWDC conference next week is expected to announce that it is ditching Google Maps in favour of its own mapping data and services in its upcoming iOS 6 software.
Google has four separate pieces of mapping news. The 3D cityscapes will roll out in Google Earth mobile apps, while the Android version of Google Maps will get the ability to download maps for offline usage in more than 100 countries in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, an initiative called Google Street View Trekker will send rucksack-toting Googlers off to photograph places that aren't accessible to Street View cars, trikes and snowmobiles, while Google is expanding its Map Maker tool to 12 new countries for people to help improve the accuracy of its maps – although this doesn't include the UK yet.
Some big announcements, just days before WWDC. Not that Google is framing the news in terms of any rivalry with Apple.
"It's covering a number of things that we've been doing, and perhaps haven't talked about as much as we should have done," said Ed Parsons, geospatial technologist at Google, in an interview with The Guardian.
"There's a lot going on in mapping right now, and we wanted to be able to tell our story," added Brian McClendon, vice president of engineering for Google Maps, in a follow-up conference call with a group of European journalists. "We're very proud of how far we've come in comprehensiveness, accuracy and usability."
3D cityscapes
Those priorities are also reflected in the offline Google Maps for Android announcement, which means people will be able to download the map for a specific city or area before travelling there, and save on data usage/costs when they arrive.
Parsons says it's one of the most-demanded features from Google Maps users. McClendon said that Google is capping download sizes to around 50MB – "You can get almost all of the San Francisco Bay area… The detail you'll get down to is all of the streets, all of the labels and all of the POIs [points of interest]."
Its launch may also encourage more Android users to download the standalone Google Maps app from the Google Play store, rather than wait for their operator / handset maker to push out an update to the Android OS (and thus its embedded maps app).
All of this begs the question: what about iOS? All concerned at Google are playing a straight bat, as you'd imagine.
"The maps application on iOS has always been developed by Apple, who made use of our mapping tiles in the background," said Parsons. "That's always been something that's in their control."
McClendon was equally diplomatic on iOS: "It's an excellent platform and we see it as one of the many devices that we'd like to provide Google Maps on."
Of course, Google could launch a standalone Google Maps app for iOS, just as it has on Android. But it will be interesting to see any Apple WWDC announcements on its own mapping plans include offline access to match Android.
Amid the interest in the 3D Google Earth cities and offline Android maps, the Street View Trekker news risks getting sidelined, but it's noteworthy too.
Once, the technology for capturing images for Google Street View had to be carted around in a car. Then it was shrunk down for a tricycle. Now it can be squeezed into a rucksack, enabling Googlers to explore areas on foot (think canyons, mountains, national parks…) and capture them for Street View too.
"Up Snowdon, down the Grand Canyon, out into the wilds of England, Scotland and Wales… We can take people to places they wouldn't visit," said Parsons. "It's a fantastic opportunity for remote field trips, too."
From cars to tricycles to rucksacks. How long before the Street View capture technology fits in a smartphone, and could thus be used by anyone?
Parsons said this is already happening, sort of. He cites a product launched by Google six months ago, without much fanfare, called Phototours, which takes photos that people have taken of landmarks and stitches them together. Not quite a user-generated Street View, but a step in that direction.
google maps,google maps,google maps directions,google maps street view,google maps api,google maps mobile,google maps driving directions,google maps pedometer,google maps quest,google maps api key,google maps event
Offline mapping
 |
| google maps,google maps,google maps directions,google maps street view,google maps api,google maps mobile,google maps driving directions,google maps pedometer,google maps quest,google maps api key,google maps event |
Google has announced several new features for its mapping services, including 3D cityscapes in Google Earth, and an offline mode for its Google Maps Android application.
The announcements today (6 June) will be seen as a pre-emptive strike against Apple, which at its WWDC conference next week is expected to announce that it is ditching Google Maps in favour of its own mapping data and services in its upcoming iOS 6 software.
 |
| google maps,google maps,google maps directions,google maps street view,google maps api,google maps mobile,google maps driving directions,google maps pedometer,google maps quest,google maps api key,google maps event |
Meanwhile, an initiative called Google Street View Trekker will send rucksack-toting Googlers off to photograph places that aren't accessible to Street View cars, trikes and snowmobiles, while Google is expanding its Map Maker tool to 12 new countries for people to help improve the accuracy of its maps – although this doesn't include the UK yet.
Some big announcements, just days before WWDC. Not that Google is framing the news in terms of any rivalry with Apple.
"It's covering a number of things that we've been doing, and perhaps haven't talked about as much as we should have done," said Ed Parsons, geospatial technologist at Google, in an interview with The Guardian.
"There's a lot going on in mapping right now, and we wanted to be able to tell our story," added Brian McClendon, vice president of engineering for Google Maps, in a follow-up conference call with a group of European journalists. "We're very proud of how far we've come in comprehensiveness, accuracy and usability."
3D cityscapes
Those priorities are also reflected in the offline Google Maps for Android announcement, which means people will be able to download the map for a specific city or area before travelling there, and save on data usage/costs when they arrive.
Parsons says it's one of the most-demanded features from Google Maps users. McClendon said that Google is capping download sizes to around 50MB – "You can get almost all of the San Francisco Bay area… The detail you'll get down to is all of the streets, all of the labels and all of the POIs [points of interest]."
Its launch may also encourage more Android users to download the standalone Google Maps app from the Google Play store, rather than wait for their operator / handset maker to push out an update to the Android OS (and thus its embedded maps app).
All of this begs the question: what about iOS? All concerned at Google are playing a straight bat, as you'd imagine.
"The maps application on iOS has always been developed by Apple, who made use of our mapping tiles in the background," said Parsons. "That's always been something that's in their control."
McClendon was equally diplomatic on iOS: "It's an excellent platform and we see it as one of the many devices that we'd like to provide Google Maps on."
Of course, Google could launch a standalone Google Maps app for iOS, just as it has on Android. But it will be interesting to see any Apple WWDC announcements on its own mapping plans include offline access to match Android.
Amid the interest in the 3D Google Earth cities and offline Android maps, the Street View Trekker news risks getting sidelined, but it's noteworthy too.
Once, the technology for capturing images for Google Street View had to be carted around in a car. Then it was shrunk down for a tricycle. Now it can be squeezed into a rucksack, enabling Googlers to explore areas on foot (think canyons, mountains, national parks…) and capture them for Street View too.
"Up Snowdon, down the Grand Canyon, out into the wilds of England, Scotland and Wales… We can take people to places they wouldn't visit," said Parsons. "It's a fantastic opportunity for remote field trips, too."
From cars to tricycles to rucksacks. How long before the Street View capture technology fits in a smartphone, and could thus be used by anyone?
Parsons said this is already happening, sort of. He cites a product launched by Google six months ago, without much fanfare, called Phototours, which takes photos that people have taken of landmarks and stitches them together. Not quite a user-generated Street View, but a step in that direction.
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