TechSoftwareAppsGoogle Maps is getting its most awesome update in yearsIf you thought Apple’s Flyover mode was good, you’re going to love what Google’s Immersive View can doWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechSoftwareAppsGoogle Maps is getting its most awesome update in yearsIf you thought Apple’s Flyover mode was good, you’re going to love what Google’s Immersive View can doWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
If you thought Apple’s Flyover mode was good, you’re going to love what Google’s Immersive View can do
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Google)
(Image credit: Google)
With its latestGoogle Maps update,Googlehas made maps fun again. Its newly announced Immersive View uses clever AI and Google’s enormous image library to deliver a Street View-style experience for indoor spaces. It’s likeApple’s Flyover mode, except in addition to flying over you can fly in and fly around inside. It’s brilliant: it’s like you have your own personal drone, enabling you to get a drone’s eye view of restaurants, malls and more.
Here’s Google’s gif of the feature in action.
(Image credit: Google)
(Image credit: Google)
Immersive maps aren’t just pretty. They’re pretty useful too
This isn’t tech for the sake of it. Google wants Maps to give you all the information you need, from what a place looks like at different times of the day to what a restaurant, venue or transport hub looks like inside. It’s a supercharged Street View, bringing places to life in ways that we’ll soon wonder how we managed without.
Here’s another gif from Google giving you a better idea of what you’ll experience.
(Image credit: Google)
(Image credit: Google)
Impressive, isn’t it? Inevitably it’s going to be a while before Immersive View makes its way to every neighbourhood, so this year’s cities are LA, London, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo; more cities will then be added over time. That’s not a surprise: the amount of data this involves is staggering, so it’ll probably be some time before you can see the inside of my local pub. While the images look like drone footage, they’re actually generated from lots and lots of static photos.
The good news is that the new feature is coming to pretty much everybody. Google says it’ll “work on just about any phone and device”. It’ll be interesting to see how this feature ends up being used: it’d be a pretty great educational tool as well as a travel one. Throw augmented or virtual reality into the mix and things start getting really interesting indeed.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
TOPICSGoogle Maps
TOPICS
Build bigger arms in just 30 minutes with this 5-move dumbbell-only workoutIt’ll leave the biceps and triceps popping!
It’ll leave the biceps and triceps popping!
OMEGA puts the moon on your wrist with its new Speedmaster Moonphase MeteoriteOMEGA adds two new Moonphase Meteorite watches to its Speedmaster line-up
OMEGA adds two new Moonphase Meteorite watches to its Speedmaster line-up
Google Maps gets a big update that London visitors and commuters will especially loveStreet View now available for 18 major London Tube stations
Street View now available for 18 major London Tube stations
Google Maps is getting its best free update yet and it’s a game-changerThe best traffic warnings are coming to the main Maps app at last
The best traffic warnings are coming to the main Maps app at last
Google Maps is getting a free upgrade to help users spot companies with fake reviewsThis is a brilliant new feature
This is a brilliant new feature
Google Maps gets another neat design update and we like itThe makeover continues
The makeover continues
Google Maps just got a neat design upgrade for freeMaps is becoming simpler to navigate
Maps is becoming simpler to navigate
Google Maps is rolling out a potentially life saving upgrade to millions of usersWildfire alerts are spreading
Wildfire alerts are spreading
Google Maps is fixing its most irritating Android issueWrong turns, begone!
Wrong turns, begone!
Google Maps is getting a huge iPhone 15 upgradeGoogle Maps is about to get a whole lot better for iPhones with the Dynamic Island
Google Maps is about to get a whole lot better for iPhones with the Dynamic Island
