Google is updating its Google Maps to a more intuitive and immersive view of the app. During this year's Google Developers Conference, aside from the big announcement on Google's Health Connect app, it also unveiled the new look of Maps.
Google Maps' immersive view would give users a glimpse of what a certain location would look like, not just from bland street drawings but with an accurate visual render.
Google Maps' Immersive View
Google Maps was first launched with the primary purpose of assisting users in arriving safely at their destinations. Through the years, it has progressed to become much more than it once was; now, it is a helpful companion when users are looking for the ideal restaurant or information about a local go-to spot.
In addition to that, Google is launching a new way to navigate with Maps today, and it's all thanks to recent developments in artificial intelligence. The company's focus on AI made it possible for them to create a detailed digital model of the world by combining billions of Street View images with aerial photographs.
As reported by The Verge, Liez Reid, the VP of engineering at Google, stated that the combination of imagery was extremely useful to help their team paint a realistic picture of what it truly looks like to be at a certain location.
Reid also compared the functionality of the feature to the "magic" offered by Google Earth's massive zoom, but on a more local scale. She also mentioned that Google has been working on it for some time. The VP mentioned that they even have a demo from years ago, although it did not really work and they pushed through.
However, the development of technology in recent years has made the process appear quite natural.
Google believes that through an immersive point of view, users can make the best decisions possible before they head out.
Through Google Maps' Immersive View, users will be able to get a feel for a neighborhood, landmark, restaurant, or popular venue before ever stepping foot inside. The Immersive View gives a new experience which will allow users to experience what it's like to be there even before they go there in person.
As you navigate through them, it appears as though you are playing a video game with medium graphics that is set in a real world that is precisely scaled.
How Does it Work?
Users can utilize the feature when it launches in their cities or the cities they are planning to go to. Users can quickly plan their itinerary in the app if they are planning a quick trip to New York for a food trip.
Another great factor with these newly upgraded maps is their capacity to accurately provide photos of what the surrounding neighborhood looks like for a certain museum, restaurant, or tourist attraction.
Useful information such as weather conditions, photos of what a location looks like at different times of day, and spotting crowded areas or busy spots will also be available when the Immersive View rolls out.
When looking for a place to dine, users can just slide down their app to the street level to investigate nearby restaurants and view helpful information, such as real-time foot traffic and traffic in the immediate area. With AI, users can even look inside restaurants to get a quick sense of the atmosphere of the place before going into the establishment.
According to Google, the immersive view will function on almost all mobile phones and other electronic devices. Later on this year, it will roll out in cities such as Los Angeles, London, New York City, San Francisco, and Tokyo, with more cities to follow soon after.
