Google Earth change gives you one less reason to use Google Maps
Digital navigation apps are an indispensable tool in our daily lives. Apps like Google Maps not only help us with directions, but also with checking real-time traffic along your route, finding local businesses, finding reviews and business information, and more.
More importantly, the tool also lets users access Street View data to scout places before visiting, complete with an option to view historical Street View imagery captured by Google over the years. Now, this popular 'time travel' feature is also making its way to another Google app — one that's based on similar mapping technology and data.
The Mountain View, California-based tech giant announced today that it is bringing historical Street View imagery to Google Earth . For what it's worth, the platform has had Street View support for a while now, but historical Street Views were exclusive to Google Maps. The only form of historical imagery it has previously offered came in the for of aerial satellite views.
Now you can explore the wonders of the planet from even more viewpoints, whether it's a bird's eye view or at street level.
The functionality is likely rolling out now, and hasn't made its way out widely. For reference, on Maps, viewing historical Street View imagery is a simple three-step process. You click on the Street View/Yellow human figure icon and drop it wherever relevant. If Maps has historical images of the same location, you'll see "See more dates" on the top left.
Finding historical Street View imagery will likely work the same way on Google Earth, but I can't confirm the exact interface just yet.
Elsewhere, looking forward, Google said that it will soon offer professionals access to expanded building and solar design planning tools within Google Earth. Additionally, it will also make unique data layers available, including the likes of land surface temperature, tree canopy coverage, and rooftop reflectivity. According to the tech giant, access to these new tools should make it easier for cities to "identify ways to keep homes and businesses cooler by absorbing less heat."
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