Windows 10: Anyone can now contribute to Google Maps and Street View

Brink · Dec 3, 2020

When people find out that I work on Street View, the first thing they ask is, "How can I drive the Street View car?" Sadly, we donât loan out those iconic vehicles, but what if any car could become a Street View car? Better yet, what if anyone could contribute to Street View, using only their phone?

With our updated Street View app on Android, itâs now easier than ever to collect your own Street View imagery and put it in the right place on Google Maps. Using our new connected photos tool in the app, you can record a series of connected images as you move down a street or path.

These images are captured using ARCore, the same augmented reality technology we use to produce experiences like Live View. After you record your images and publish them via the Street View app, we automatically rotate, position and create a series of connected photos. We then place those connected images in the right place on Google Maps, so your new Street View can be found in the exact location where it was taken for others to see and explore.

You first record your connected photos in the Street View app as seen in this example from Government Camp, Oregon. These photos were recently captured by the blog author.

Before this feature, you would typically need special 360-degree cameras to capture and publish Street View imagery. Some equipment you could even attach to the roof of your car, but at the cost of thousands of dollars; thatâs out of the realm for many.

Now that anyone can create their own connected Street View photos, we can bring better maps to more people around the world, capturing places that arenât on Google Maps or that have seen rapid change. All you need is a smartphoneâno fancy equipment required.

You can see Street View connected photos in the Google Maps app or on a desktop. Here's a contribution from the Maldives.

Reflecting more places and communities on Google Maps

While our own Street View trekkers and cars have collected more than 170 billion images from 10 million miles around the planet, there are still many unmapped parts of the world. Thatâs why for years we've been building new ways for people to contribute their own imagery to Google Maps. In fact, we've seen millions of Street View images contributed from people in every country on Earth, from https://youtu.be/z1hBJHi1Zo4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHtyuFZF2bg to https://youtu.be/vXWEsGCvniI andhttps://youtu.be/gyL5xKBV_Mo.

Where people contribute connected photos, they will appear in the Street View layer on Google Maps as dotted blue linesâsimply drag Pegman around to find them. Where we have existing Google Street View imagery, weâll show that as the primary Street View experience with a solid blue line. While itâs still early days for this beta feature, there are already examples of people adding their own connected photosâfrom Nigeria to Japan and Brazil.

As with our other imagery, these pictures will help make Google Maps more accurate and up-to-date for everyone. For example, we can use the information in Street View imagery to update Google Maps with details like the names and addresses of businesses that arenât currently on the map and maybe even their publicly posted open hours. Weâll also give these connected photos the same privacy controls, including face and license-plate blurring treatment that you see in the regular Street View photos that Google captures. We also make it easy for people to report imagery and other types of contributed content for review.

Anyone can contribute to Google Maps and Street View

Driving through a town where Street View cars have never been? Your phone is now all you need to tell Google Maps what's thereâand let people around the world explore it through your lens.

The connected photos beta feature is now available for people using the Street View app with an ARCore-compatible Android device in Toronto, Canada, New York, NY and Austin, TX, along with Nigeria, Indonesia and Costa Ricaâwith more regions on the way soon.
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Source: Now anyone can share their world with Street View

:)

Jerry_Dwyer · Dec 3, 2020

Google Street View . . .

I have, a "Dell" laptop. Running, Windows 10 pro . . .

I just installed, "Google" street view. I opened it, and put in an address . .

And this goofy, boxs pops- up. Saying . . .

It wants me to install, SATELLITE MAPS FOUND!

So, I did the install. (Do I need this?)

When, it was done . . . I went, back to Street View. Put in, an address . . .

And, it happened again. It wants me to install, SATELLITE MAPS FOUND!

So, I do the install but it happens every time. Over and, over and, over . . .

I don't even think, I need, this program? I'm not stupid, but this one's got me?

If anyone, could suggest something? It would sure, be appreciated!

Thanks for reading . . . Jerry

GeorgeNahorski · Dec 3, 2020

Can your devices pull up google maps street view? My iPhone cannot. Does your maps pull up street views?

Can your devices pull up google maps street view? My iPhone cannot. Does your maps pull up street views?

Greg Carmack - Windows MVP 2010-20 · Dec 3, 2020

Google Street View . . .

Hi Jerry. I'M Greg, an installation specialist, 10 years awarded Windows MVP, and Volunteer Moderator, here to help you.

You don't really need Google Street View which loads a bunch of maps, because you can use online Google Maps in any browser, which shows all of the streets in the world with Street Views that are stored in Google servers and applied in real time.

One is a seamless web experience while the other is an app that builds maps for the purpose of businesses and others to customize them for their delivery and other purposes.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and keep me posted. If you'll wait to rate whether my post resolved your problem, I will keep working with you until it's resolved.

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Windows 10: Anyone can now contribute to Google Maps and Street View

Anyone can now contribute to Google Maps and Street View

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