Google Street Maps’ Street View feature has received several upgrades to celebrate the service’s 15th anniversary, the search giant announced today. The first is a new feature that comes with iOS and Android apps that will display historical Street View images on your phone. The second is a new, more portable camera that Google hopes will make it easier to capture Street View images in the future.
Since 2014, it is possible to use Street View to see how a place has changed over the years through the desktop version of Google Maps. But now the iOS and Android apps of the service will have the same capability. Access it by tapping anywhere on the screen while in Street View mode, and then selecting “see more dates” to access historical location images. Google has announced that the feature will display images that continue until the launch of Street View in 2007 in places where it is available.
The new camera weighs less than 1.5 pounds. Image: Google Camera can also be easier to mount on top of existing cars. Image: Google
The second announcement Google is making to coincide with the anniversary of Street View is a new, more portable camera for capturing 360-degree images. The search giant currently uses special cars and large camera backpacks (called Trekkers) to capture the world, but the new camera reduces all that functionality to a device weighing just under 15 pounds (approximately 6.8 kg) and to quote Google blog post, “about the size of a pet cat.”
The camera is designed to make it easier for Google to capture Street View images around the world, allowing it to make more frequent updates. For example, instead of paying to transport cars equipped with a camera, Google can simply upgrade its new camera to an existing vehicle. And with Street View data already collected by connecting existing bulky cameras to everything from snowmobiles to Venetian gondolas, it’s easy to imagine a wide range of new vehicles that Google needs to be able to hook up to. the new camera.
Although Google is emphasizing the portability of the new camera, Street View hardware chief Stephen Silverman says there should be some benefits to what each panorama looks like. “The sensors are even higher quality, they have a lower signal compared to noise,” says Silverman. “These images will be even more beautiful.” The camera’s seven sensors in each camera capture panoramic views at 140 megapixels, the same as before, and although there are no built-in lidar sensors by default, Silverman says the camera is designed to be customizable so it can be customized. add when required.
Street View is a really useful feature (how many of us have determined a location online before heading there) and fun news (with an intense competitive scene to match). But for Google, having cameras on the streets is also a useful way to improve Google Maps data. Street View images are used to add new businesses to Google Maps, improve business hours, and provide speed limit information.
Silverman says the new camera will be launched alongside existing cars and trackers next year.
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