Mossberg: Google to announce Street View for Google Maps web app on Thursday
In a report on Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg revealed that Google plans to announce Street View integration to the web version of Google Maps, effectively bringing support for the feature to iOS 6 devices.
Following the introduction of the iOS 6 Maps app, a flood of complaints regarding "missing" features and incorrect data prompted many users to seek other mapping solutions, including calls for the return of a standalone Google Maps app.
One of the main gripes with iOS Maps is the lack of Street View, the Google Maps-exclusive that offers users 360-degree street-level photographic views of thousands of locations around the world.
While iPhone 5 or iDevice users who upgraded to Apple's newest mobile operating system still have access to the internet-based version of Google's mapping service, the web app does not yet support Street View. The internet search giant spent years, along with millions of dollars, in building the feature that was included in all versions of the Google Maps-powered iOS app up until the release of iOS 6.
According to Mossberg, however, Google is planning to add Street View to the mobile web version of Google Maps on Thursday, possibly as a stopgap while the company works on a true standalone iOS app.
Mossberg writes:
Following the introduction of the iOS 6 Maps app, a flood of complaints regarding "missing" features and incorrect data prompted many users to seek other mapping solutions, including calls for the return of a standalone Google Maps app.
One of the main gripes with iOS Maps is the lack of Street View, the Google Maps-exclusive that offers users 360-degree street-level photographic views of thousands of locations around the world.
While iPhone 5 or iDevice users who upgraded to Apple's newest mobile operating system still have access to the internet-based version of Google's mapping service, the web app does not yet support Street View. The internet search giant spent years, along with millions of dollars, in building the feature that was included in all versions of the Google Maps-powered iOS app up until the release of iOS 6.
According to Mossberg, however, Google is planning to add Street View to the mobile web version of Google Maps on Thursday, possibly as a stopgap while the company works on a true standalone iOS app.
Mossberg writes:
Google Chairman Eric Schmidt said in September that no standalone mapping app has been submitted to Apple's App Store, and declined to elaborate on the company's future plans regarding and iOS version of Google Maps. Such an app is believed to be in the works, however, as Google wants to keep a strong presence on Apple's mobile platform, evidenced in the recent introduction of a standalone YouTube app.In fact, Google plans to announce on Thursday that it is adding its popular Street View feature, missing from Apple's maps, to the Web version of Google Maps accessed from the iPhone and iPad. I tested this addition, which displays 360-degree photographic street views of selected locations, and interior photographic views of certain businesses, using sample links Google sent me. These links worked well, allowing me to see the locations and pan around with a finger.
Comments
Apple. Freeing the Internet from Flash, one market at a time.
who will use this?
Can they be rolling out Street View on Thursday when they had to spoon-feed Mossberg "sample links" on Wednesday?
Can't be bothered with Google anymore. It never finds any local businesses (simple things like fast food restaurants, hair salons, etc). I always have to go the business website. Of all things, my parents address can't be found by Google, but Apple got it right (they live way out in the boonies in a private community). Guessing Google wasn't allowed in to map inside the gates?
Street view is useless to me, other than a curiosity. I've never used it on my phone or pad, and the new turn by turn and vector maps are a huge improvement. I couldn't stand how the street names on the native google maps app were always to small. Zoom in, and they immediately shrink. Beyond frustrating.
We can all go back to living our lives again.
Everybody and anybody because....
Apple Maps =
Epic Fail
What do people that help bands have anything to do with it?
And Google Maps web app will *still* suck hard on mobile.
Hell, that web app makes iOS Maps look awesome.
Streetview = yawn
iSheldon
=Epic Fail
No, that's not an error in quoting.
This is a valuable service that should not simply be dismissed because it's Google. Honestly if it were nothing more than a curiosity, do you really think Google would invest the resources necessary to visually map the entire world at street level? People are not that curious, they actually have a need for this.
It was a convenience that it was incorporated into Maps, but I don't use it often enough that a separate app will be no big deal.
The real upside to this IMO is that the people who have been complaining they lost Street View in iOS 6 can now have it as a web app in Safari, and that means it's just that much less likely that Apple will cave and revert back to Google Maps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iSheldon
Everybody and anybody because....
Apple Maps =
Epic Fail
sorry to burst your bubble.. but i am not part of your "everybody and anybody"... so yeah..
your post = Epic Fail...
Options are always nice.
Quote:
Originally Posted by iSheldon
Everybody and anybody because....
Apple Maps =
Epic Fail
I won't, I use my iPhone for real work, so don't need this toy.
Almost never used Street View on iOS but I do like the high res aerial imagery in Google maps as opposed to Apple Maps which has remarkably inferior low res image data.
Big deal.
Facebook is releasing X-Ray View in the next couple of weeks...