Google Maps Gets Massive Street View Update

A reader writes "Google Maps has been updated with what's described as the 'biggest ever" increase in Street View photography, with more than 250,000 miles of road around the world gaining street-level imagery. Street View coverage has been boosted in eleven countries, with new 'special collections' of photography, giving more insight into particular landmarks. Google has also sent its cameras inside some landmarks, so you can now step into Kronborg castle in Denmark, for instance. The search giant uses a combination of Street View photography cars, bikes, and even individually-work camera backpacks to gather its footage. Support for viewing Street View on mobile devices has been contentious in recent weeks, with Apple's decision to oust Google Maps from iOS 6 and replace it with its own Apple Maps app. Google re-added access by updating its webapp, however, and has promised a native version of Google Maps for iOS by the end of the year."

Awesome...

[Anonymous Coward]

more here: http://www.streetviewfunny.com/ [streetviewfunny.com]

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[TWX]

And here I was, going to ask what new inappropriate images were part of streetview...

one word: Gargoyles

[jdogalt]

this reminds me quite a bit of Neil Stephenson's concept of "Gargoyles"...

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[account_deleted]

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[wickedskaman]

Not for me. You can get out through the entryway and follow the roads to civilization!

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[hcs_$reboot]

Have no problem with the iPhone maps. Should I? Btw, still using iOS 5.1.1

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[Plumpaquatsch]

attempting to step into the Kronenborg castle, you'll find it is conspicuously missing in Strasburg, Saskatchewan. but hey Grandma Lees 22nd Street bakery and "eating place" is pretty darn good too ya know.

You mean there is a "Kronenborg castle" in Strasburg, Saskatchewan on Google Maps?

So they don't update all the imagery live?

[RocketRabbit]

Kidding. I am surprised, however, that they don't just continually update the entire database as they drive their vehicles around. It would be nice to have access to the older imagery as well, when they update.

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[happylight]

They take about 6 months to a year from the pictures being taken to appearing on the maps.

Here's an AMA done by a google streetview driver. Pretty interesting read.
http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/yzoft/iama_recently_employed_google_maps_driver_i_drive/ [reddit.com]

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[rtb61]

I also enjoy the all to rare locations where they enter retail and commercial premises http://maps.google.com/help/maps/businessphotos/ [google.com]. Let's you not only scope out where to park when you get there but also where exactly you want to go in the store or business.

So street view airports, bus terminals and train stations, as well as those many recreational locations is also cool, even when you are only street view touring.

Would also be interesting to add in recorded video and sound, just the same as image

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[RocketRabbit]

For me, maps and such is always fast enough. The main problem Google has now is that its search has been SEO'd into total worthlessness.

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[rtb61]

Location, location, location, it doesn't just work for real world real estate, it also covers the digital landscape, mirrors dude are now just for looking into.

"more insight into particular landmarks...."

[KrazyDave]

Uh, I don't think we need Google's autonomous VW Beetle careening through the Sistine Chapel for interior Street View images. There are already plenty of resources for looking at landmarks.

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[raydobbs]

I think that is where the aforementioned '...and even individually-work camera backpacks to gather its footage...' would come in. You know, to get interior shots.

Is it just me, or...

[Derek Pomery]

Did others find the fact that the link to the "biggest ever update" was to slashgear reiterating this slashdot post, kind of annoying?
http://google-latlong.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/making-google-maps-more-comprehensive.html [blogspot.co.uk]

The link that slashgear links to.

Someone looking to drive traffic?

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[account_deleted]

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[Derek Pomery]

No history that I personally know of. I just have a general pet peeve about endlessly nesting blog articles getting between me and primary sources, each one repeating the exact same thing.
Perhaps there's some way to write a Firefox addon that digs through links in a blog article searching for the primary source.
Probably too complicated/bandwidth intensive. :-/

Chatroulette + streetview

[goombah99]

Someone needs to hack into their street view car scheduling so we can all stand out front mooning them. Few would willingly click on it again.

Combining the very best of Chatroulette and streetview.

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[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Wow!

[sethmeisterg]

All it took was some competitive pressure to get Google's ass in motion beefing up its feature set. What a shocker!

Sweet!

[Culture20]

I gotta check this out with my iPhone! Oh, right.

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[Plumpaquatsch]

Can't you get it through the browser on iOS?

Not if you're a stupid Fandroid who hasn't even got an iPhone.

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[antdude]

Isn't that only on iOS6?

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[das_io]

Just open Google Maps in the Browser and you can see all the Street View glory. Google added a pure HTML5 solution. Works like a charm in iOS6 with Safari and Chrome.

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[Culture20]

I spent ten minutes trying to get street view to work in the iOS 6 safari browser. No success.

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[Plumpaquatsch]

I spent ten minutes trying to get street view to work in the iOS 6 safari browser. No success.

Then Google must have turned to blocking access from Mobile Safari - take it up with them.

No such promise

[grouchomarxist]

The summary claims "[Google] has promised a native version of Google Maps for iOS by the end of the year", but Google has made no such promise.

Recently, at AllThingsD, all Eric Schmidt said was "I don’t want to preannounce products, but I can tell you that were we to do that, Apple would have to approve it."
http://gigaom.com/apple/schmidt-apple-has-to-approve-google-maps-app-for-ios-if-we-build-it/ [gigaom.com]

My guess is they are developing it, but they haven't promised it yet.

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[Plumpaquatsch]

The summary claims "[Google] has promised a native version of Google Maps for iOS by the end of the year", but Google has made no such promise.

Recently, at AllThingsD, all Eric Schmidt said was "I don’t want to preannounce products, but I can tell you that were we to do that, Apple would have to approve it."
http://gigaom.com/apple/schmidt-apple-has-to-approve-google-maps-app-for-ios-if-we-build-it/ [gigaom.com]

My guess is they are developing it, but they haven't promised it yet.

Or that they don't plan to develop it, and want to pretend Apple is blocking them.

250,000 miles is further than the Moon

[Tijaska]

Next up - to infinity and beyond!

I keep hearing this...but I'm still skeptical.

[mark-t]

Google re-added access by updating its webapp, however, and has promised a native version of Google Maps for iOS by the end of the year

Where was an official statement from Google made to this effect?

Footpaths next?

[JonathanCombe]

I'd love to see them extend the street view to public footpaths too (although perhaps we'd have to drop the "street" from the title). Some of the UKs most beautiful scenery can only be accessed on foot and it would be wonderful to see some of these online too. Of course doing so would be very expensive but I'd certainly be happy to walk some local paths for free if Google could provide a loan of the equipment.

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[MarxNotDead]

IIRC they started doing this a year ago or so? I think I saw pictures of google bikes on public footpaths.

I've seen it

[coinreturn]

I was mapping some obscure roads in WV the other day and could not believe that had street view for them. We're talking barely-used two lane roads between podunk little towns.