Google Earth and Maps are getting an update as the technology giant launches historical imagery and an expansion of Street View into almost 80 countries, with countries like Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, and more set to benefit from the changes.
“You’ll be able to explore the picturesque countryside of Bosnia and its medieval villages, the sandy mountains surrounding the capital of Namibia, the Alps and castles of Liechtenstein and the beautiful rivers of Paraguay.
“You can even virtually wander the streets of foreign cities to see shops and buildings up close,” writes senior product manager of Google Maps Stafford Marquardt in a company news release.
Google Maps hones in on the need for clearer images and access to old data
From this week, cloud-removal technology will be used to sharpen satellite imagery. This has been done through the Cloud Score+ AI model which has been trained on “millions of images” to recognize and remove things like clouds, cloud shadows, haze, and mist.
Google says these removals will result in a “refreshed global mosaic” that gives users a “clearer, more accurate look at Earth.” The AI model won’t remove other real-world weather patterns like ice, snow, and mountain shadows.
Explore 40 years of urban growth, coastline changes, and more with Historical imagery in Google Earth. Learn more:https://t.co/XnAku273rN
— Google Earth (@googleearth) September 24, 2024
It’s not just current data that the team is hoping to capture, as a new historical imagery tool will soon be available in Google Earth on the web and mobile.
This feature will enable users to explore a “library of satellite and aerial imagery,” some of which dates back 80 years.
“Historical imagery can also show dramatic changes over longer periods of time. In places like London, Berlin, Warsaw and Paris, you can even explore imagery from as far back as the 1930s.”
For those who are using historical data for research purposes, the ability to create custom maps for projects will be possible. “Soon we’ll start showing projects right from a newly designed home screen in Google Earth, making it even easier to collaborate with your teams.”
Featured Image: Via Google Blog showing street view imagery taken from a bridge overlooking Diamond Beach in southeast Iceland.
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