05/11, 9:56am
3D mode, new Street View-like tech among features
iOS 6 will make a long-rumored move and drop Google Maps entirely in a new Maps app, claim sources for 9to5Mac. While the app itself has long been Apple's own creation, it has always relied on data and technology from Google. The updated Maps is said to be fairly similar to the one based on Google, but "cleaner, faster, and [a] more reliable experience." In place of the old backend, Apple will rely on technology acquired in buyouts of Placebase, C3 Technologies, and Poly9.
more
04/25, 4:55pm
Android Google Maps update graduates labs items
Google Maps for Android (Free, Google Play) has been updated today with a few small changes, repositioning the existing scale bar and zoom buttons while adding elevation data to the Labs features.
more
04/25, 9:25am
Google Maps 3D tours use WebGL to show the world
Google took advantage of its 3D acceleration tricks Wednesday to introduce Google Maps 3D photo tours. The technique uses the optional MapsGL mode, which uses WebGL to get a speed boost, to steer viewers through a 3D photo scene. The technology stitches together publicly available Panoramio and Picasa photos, using Google's own 3D depth calculations and transitions to get the added dimensions.
more
04/06, 3:15pm
Adds "You are here" location to indoor sites
Google has released a new tool to help vendors who have uploaded floor plans of their indoor venues to Google Maps show customers their current location on their smartphones with greater accuracy. The Google Maps Floor Plan Marker app collects positioning data from multiple sources (free, (Google Play). Visitors to the venue who are running Google's My Location feature on their Android phone are then provided with a "blue dot" icon to show their precise position, even indicating which floor they are on. The marker app is currently available in English in the US.
more
04/02, 5:10pm
Google Maps now covers more traffic conditions
Google Maps on Monday answered a frequent call to widen the coverage of its typical traffic layer. Previously limited to highways and other main routes, it now includes "arterial" roads, or larger main streets often connected to or otherwise near the highways. Google Maps Android users can still voluntarily contribute periodic location updates to help improve the data themselves.
more
03/31, 2:10pm
Girls Around Me app gets tossed over privacy issue
A controversial iOS app has promptly been pulled and blocked over major legal and privacy concerns. Girls Around Me (App Store, no longer active) had advertised itself as using Foursquare check-ins and a Facebook sign-in to find nearby women who had recently checked in with publicly visible Facebook profiles. The app not only showed how to find them on Google Maps but encouraged the presumably male users to message and otherwise get in touch with these girls without their knowledge or consent.
more
03/31, 12:45pm
Google Maps gets pseudo 8-bit mode for April Fools
While Electronista and MacNN intend to keep April Fools' reporting to a minimum, Google has offered a rarity by making one of the first gags for the year and also making it truly interactive and accessible. A one-off Quest mode in Google Maps turns the navigation tool into its "NES" version. Most features continue to work, but it now has a Legend of Zelda-style overhead map and renders Street View in an 8-bit color palette like the now 27-year-old Nintendo console.
more
03/29, 2:30pm
Google Maps now shows real-world destination times
Google Maps on Thursday both got a key feature back and added a new layer of security. After losing traffic-based estimates for some time, Maps can once again indicate the likely actual travel time based on the most recent estimates of route congestion. The gesture can show when an alternate route, mass transit, or a taxi might be faster.
more
03/28, 3:15pm
Google Maps get higher-res screens, more in 6.5
Google has just released Google Maps 6.5 for Android (free, Google Play) and detailed the changes. The voice-guided GPS navigation software sports a newly redesigned home screen for Android 4.0 and newer devices. That screen lets users quickly enter new destination information or select from recent and favorite locations by swiping to the left or right.
more
03/27, 7:35pm
Microsoft fuels OpenStreetMap data
Some extra sleuthing has confirmed that OpenStreetMap is getting more support from major companies than Apple. Microsoft not only hired OpenStreetMap's founder Steve Coast as its main designer for Bing Mobile but has been in a two-way supply of content deal. Bing provides some map data for the project but also draws on OpenStreetMap to fill out its map content.
more
02/29, 7:20pm
Foursquare customizes OpenStreetMap
Foursquare on Wednesday detailed a major change in map sources on the desktop. It now taps OpenStreetMap's crowd-sourced data to generate the maps, letting it get continually updated geographical info without depending solely on an outside provider or paying for a map license. Its version is customized to match the Foursquare look, with MapBox's help, and lets them use Leaflet's JavaScript platform to run the maps.
more
01/25, 12:05pm
Google Public Alerts goes live for emergencies
Google has just launched its Public Alerts platform for Google Maps that will allow users to get updates on emergencies in their area. These could include weather disasters, earthquakes and more. Created by the Google Crisis Response team, users can search by simple terms such as "flood in Indiana," as in the example pictured below.
more
01/16, 4:35pm
Google Maps to be a basis for upcoming game
Google has just released a teaser video, embedded below, that shows off an upcoming Google Maps-based game. Likely made for portable devices with a motion/gyroscope sensor, users would navigate a ball through the streets by making it follow a cursor, as mocked up in the real-life second video. The game will be powered by WebGL and be available through Google+ Games.
more
01/12, 8:40pm
We try Audi's new Tegra-based dash system
Audi used CES to unveil a new take on its car interface based on NVIDIA's quad-core Tegra 3 chip, and we got to try it for ourselves on the CES show floor. The new approach promises a much more discreet but also simpler and more powerful approach to controlling the car and its media than before. Read on for an early look.
more
01/11, 7:45pm
US customers to see new apps in first half of 2012
Daimler and Google announced the strengthening of their strategic partnership, giving Daimler programmers full access to the suite of Google application programming interfaces (API) known collectively as Google Maps API for Business. The collaboration will enable Daimler to use Google Maps for their in-car map displays and speed development of other automotive apps.
more
12/13, 4:15pm
Special site provides before and after archive
In July, Google committed to digitally archive the devastation of earthquake and tsunami that hit northern Japan on March 11. Google has finished its efforts and has published the imagery on Google Maps using its Street View feature. Google has also created a special website, Memories for the Future, which offers both before and after photos.
more
12/08, 7:50pm
Standalone navigation devices struggle to compete
TomTom has announced plans to make significant cuts to its workforce, a move that will leave 10 percent of its current employees out of work. The layoffs are expected to help the company reduce costs as it struggles to survive in a market that has encountered difficulty maintaining hardware sales.
more
11/29, 1:45pm
Google Maps 6 brings GPS to airports, malls
Google added a major upgrade to the Android version of Google Maps (Android Market) Tuesday to bring an industry first for both indoor and outdoor maps. When inside key airports and malls, the app will automatically switch from regular view to a floor plan with places like departure gates and stores marked out. It intelligently checks elevation in multi-floor buildings and even has floor plans just for big stores.
more
11/28, 4:20pm
Sony Ericsson to shut down Sync service Dec. 29
Sony Ericsson is phasing out its Sony Ericsson Sync service in favor of Google Sync. It explained that the older service was meant for an older generation of phones. The company instead suggested that users switch over to Android's Google Sync, or alternatives such as Plaxo and UNYK.
more
11/14, 7:25pm
Google Android apps get updates
Google has enhanced two of its core apps for Android phones. YouTube (free, Android Market) now has a +1 button to recommend videos as well as the addition of annotations. Google Maps (free, Android Market) now has nearby live events added to its Place pages for five major cities.
more
11/04, 9:05am
We talk to Nokia's location head on Google, more
Google may have trouble competing with Nokia Drive once it rolls out to the broader market, Nokia's Executive VP of Location and Commerce, Michael Halbherr, told Electronista in an interview late Thursday. Despite Google Maps Navigation being a staple of Android, Google was a "new kid on the block." Nokia had the best map data and navigation in 90 countries, and automakers like BMW were relying on Nokia's platform.
more
10/29, 2:35pm
Apple C3 deal may show deeper maps focus
An as yet unconfirmed claim has pointed to Apple being the mystery buyer of C3 Technologies. The firm is reportedly still working out of its Swedish office and is informally known as Sputnik, 9to5 heard. CEO Mattias Astrom, CFO Jkell Cederstrand, and lead product manager Ludvig Emgard are all still said to be working, although it's not clear if anyone was let go.
more
10/26, 7:20pm
Pilot program continues to expand
Google is reportedly expanding its Street View content to include interior images from businesses and stores. Anyone browsing Street View can take a virtual walk around the public areas in businesses that choose to participate in the program. The search giant has also worked with some businesses to add additional content, such as photos of food at restaurants.
more
10/03, 8:15am
Google Maps enhanced with new aerial view
Google Maps has been enhanced with a new Helicopter View. The new function gives users the opportunity to preview their trip in a 3D visualization. The feature uses the Google Earth browser plug-in to give users a top-down aerial view of the planned route as though seen from a helicopter flying about the route.
more
09/13, 5:40pm
Android Market top choice above all other apps
Consumer preference research house Nielsen has published findings from audience measurement data collected from Android smartphone users. The company found that Android Market was the top ranked app, followed by Google Maps, GMail, Facebook and Google Search. Nielsen also found that there were some gender differences with Google Maps having the second greatest reach for men after Android Market, while women preferred Facebook.
more
09/02, 7:00pm
Google engineer proposes marriage with map app
Google engineer Ari Gilder on Friday revealed that he had proposed marriage to his girlfriend Faigy with a very unique combination of Google Maps and a custom Android app. Along with planning a route full of relationship memories on Maps, Gilder had Faigy given a Nexus One with a custom app that would let her check in at each point to get a rose and a picture. With the directions to each new point locked by a password, Faigy had to take a question about her relationship in that location where the answer was the password.
more
08/25, 8:35pm
Mic button initiates voice commands
Google has updated its Chrome browser with a new feature that allows users to take advantage of voice commands for Google Maps. Rather than using standard text entry in the search field, a microphone button now initiates a computer's integrated microphone to receive spoken search queries. The option is said to be geared for finding hard-to-spell places or asking for directions without typing.
more
08/16, 6:50pm
Google Maps for Android adds transit on tablets
Google pushed out an update to Google Maps on Android (Android Market) that catered primarily to tablet owners. Users with an Android 3 tablet can now get the same Transit Navigation as their smartphone-owning counterparts. Everyone in a Transit Navigation area also has the option of ringtone or spoken notifications to let them know when they're near a stop in a more direct form than vibrate mode.
more
07/28, 11:55am
Google Maps gets London transit directions
Google Maps now sports public transport directions for London, UK in its iOS, BlackBerry and Android apps, the search giant said on Thursday. Earlier this month, Google introduced Transit Navigation beta for Android device owners that also allowed this for London and other cities. The new multi-platform app uses a user's current location to deduce the best trip to a destination using transit.
more
07/27, 4:55pm
Google Maps 5.8 for Android adds photo uploads
Google on Wednesday afternoon pushed out Google Maps 5.8 for Android users (Android Market) with a new photo component. Similar to Foursquare, users can now tag a place with photos to give a sense of the area or just to evoke a memory. Any shots snapped for Google Maps are automatically put in a special album in Android's Gallery for quick access later.
more
07/07, 10:05am
Google Maps gets map downloads in Labs beta
After a brief unofficial discovery, Google on Thursday confirmed that Google Maps 5.7 has the first experimental support for local maps downloads. Taking advantage of Maps 5's vector-based maps, Android users can zoom into an area and download map data within a 10 mile radius of a map point they've found. The feature can take several minutes but gives travelers basic mapping in another country without having to pay for expensive roaming data.
more
07/06, 2:15pm
Google releases updated Maps 5.7 Android app
Google on Wednesday announced it has released a beta version of Google Maps 5.7 app (free, Android Market) that brings with it Transit Navigation. The new stop-by-stop directions are available for more than 400 cities around the world. It alerts users when they need to get off a bus or train or make a transfer, useful in foreign countries where maps or announcements are unavailable or can't be understood.
more
06/27, 1:30pm
TomTom loses North American share fast in 2011
TomTom issued a warning Monday that its GPS units were losing share to Android and iPhone hardware faster than it first thought. Its North American stake was seeing a "faster rate of decline" than it saw at the start and would plunge 30 percent for all of 2011. Europe was seeing an expected 10 percent drop, but more of these GPS navigators were entry models and fewer were being stocked in stores.
more
06/23, 9:45am
May have to wait for iOS 6
Legal disclaimers in iOS 5 appear to support the idea that Apple has been developing its own custom mapping technology. The beta firmware has a set of new "Map Data" disclaimers, separate from those belonging to Google. While both listings mention third-party companies, many of the ones under Map Data are not associated with Google. A key example is Waze, which does real-time mapping and traffic information using crowd-sourced data, but has had to compete with Google Maps.
more
06/08, 11:00am
Google Maps gets live mass transit arrivals
Google added one of the most often sought-after features to Google Maps today with the appearance of real-time mass transit status updates. Updates to the desktop app, mobile web page and the Android app (Market) will now show when a bus, subway, or train is actually expected to arrive and help curb unnecessary waits or being caught out by an early stop. Locations also flag alerts, such as detours or delays.
more
06/03, 8:55pm
Garmin may buy for Navigon deals
Garmin may be buying Navigon as a defense against the pressure on GPS devices from smartphones, sources divulged in a German leak on Friday. The deal would show Garmin taking advantage of Navigon's battering in the mapping business to pay something in the tens of millions of euros, considerably lower than what it would have been worth a few years ago. A deal could be completed as soon as June, the Financial Times Deutschland informants said.
more
05/30, 10:55pm
Google won't touch question of Apple map swap
Google's Location VP Marissa Mayer in an interview at the recently wrapped up TechCrunch Disrupt event skirted the question of Apple possibly dropping Google Maps. When asked what Google will do if iOS suddenly stops using its engine in favor of an in-house solution, Mayer sand she was "not going to speculate" as to future plans. She steered the question towards the importance of mobile as a whole and noted that mobile was due to overtake the desktop in the near future.
more
05/27, 7:20pm
Information contradicts recent reports
Despite recent reports suggesting Apple is moving to develop its own mapping service for iOS, separate sources now claim the company is planning to rely on Google Maps for iOS 5. The unnamed informant told 9to5Google the company is planning to continue improving the iOS Maps application, however an Apple=developed alternative is not said to be ready for the next major revision to the mobile OS.
more
05/03, 5:15pm
Company could take mapping tech in-house
Apple is now explicitly hunting for someone to improve the Maps app in iOS, a new job listing reveals. The successful candidate will take on the mantle of "iOS Maps Application Developer," working in or around the vicinity of the company's Cupertino headquarters. Applicants must have "real-world experience developing sophisticated user interfaces," and cooperate with the Apple human interface team to "add new and innovative features."
more
04/05, 3:55pm
Galaxy S II delayed tol May at UK retailer Clove
After missing its originally hinted ship date of March for the Samsung Galaxy S II, UK retailer Clove has now revised the listing for May. Exactly when the Android 2.3 smartphone will ship in May isn't being revealed, however. The 16GB model will cost he equivalent of $860 (£528), though, including all local taxes and without carrier contracts. The 32GB version will also be available, initially priced at the equivalent of $1,152 (£708) tax-inclusive, though when it arrives and final pricing is yet to be finalized.
more
04/05, 11:50am
Google Maps for Android version 5.3 now out
Google late Monday posted an updated Google Maps app (Market) for Android devices. Most significantly, it brings with it the Google Location History dashboard, check in at home, and add new categories for rating places. The Location History shows users how far they've traveled and how much time they spent at home, work, and everywhere else.
more
03/25, 11:40am
Find My Friends, Maps Navigation could be on tap
Apple has opened a new job posting which suggests a major overhaul of the Maps app in iOS, as well as the platform's general location technology. The position is simply identified as iOS Maps Application Developer, but asks for someone to help "radically improve how people interact with maps and location-based services." Candidates must have a BS in Computer Science or an equivalent, and be familiar with object-oriented programming and design, particularly in terms of apps and user interfaces.
more
03/07, 1:30pm
Google Maps on Android adds traffic rerouting
Google on Monday put out a beta version of Google Maps Navigation to add much requested support for traffic rerouting. Android phone owners can now be automatically guided through whichever route is the quickest with real-world traffic factored in. The approach uses historical data and gives a side-by-side view of different routes and their times taken to let drivers know how much time they will save on the fastest route.
more
02/01, 12:55pm
Google Art Project goes live
Google showed the fruits of one of its 20 percent spare time projects today by starting up Google Art Project. The approach uses the indoor technology recently added to Street View to let users walk through certain wings of especially famous museums, such as MoMA New York or the Palace of Versailles. Viewers can zoom in on individual paintings and other art pieces at a seven-gigapixel resolution, in many cases getting as close as the individual brush strokes.
more
01/27, 12:40pm
Apple and Google CEOs allegedly intervened
Google engineering VP Vic Gundotra and Apple marketing VP Phil Schiller came into intense conflict over Google Maps in 2008, according to sources cited by Bloomberg and 9to5Mac. A Bloomberg article remarks that as Android first became a threat to the iPhone, Apple began resisting Google claims to location data accumulated whenever an iPhone owner uses Google Maps. Negotiations became so hot, two sources say, that the CEOs of Apple and Google had to step in and resolve the situation.
more
12/09, 11:35pm
Decals to be handed to businesses
Google has announced that it will begin several marketing initiatives for its Hotspot and Places location-based services. The pilot program, which focuses on Portland, Oregon, will bring Places kits to businesses. The kits include marketing materials to help businesses bolster their online presence, along with "Recommended on Google" decals to place in windows.
more
12/06, 11:10pm
Rubin shows early Motorola MotoPad and 3D Maps
(Update: video, new photos, new details) Google VP Andy Rubin as part of his talk at D: Dive Into Mobile tonight showed off a prototype of Motorola's MotoPad. He used the likely seven-inch device to show off an upcoming version of Google Maps and confirmed some of the suspected details, including the use of a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor and a front-facing camera for video chat. It would use Honeycomb (Android 3.0), which will have tablet optimizations such as splitting the display into multiple views.
more
09/20, 7:50am
Peek 9 adds app platform and maps
Peek after a brief teaser today launched the Peek 9, the latest generation of its always-on e-mail reader. The new version earns its name by running about nine times faster than the Pronto as well as through better reception for its T-Mobile 2G connection. It also becomes a multi-app device for the first time as it can check Google Maps, Facebook and Twitter.
more
09/09, 6:45pm
Google Walking Navigation beta arrives for Android
Google posted its second Android app update for today with word of updates to Google Maps. Walking Navigation has entered the app as a beta and, like the web version, will plot paths through parks and other areas unique to foot traffic. Adjustments have been made to reflect pedestrian travel: the phone vibrates for direction changes, voice guidance can be turned off and the bird's eye satellite view is turned on by default.
more
07/30, 5:45pm
UK's ICO says Google Street View not a risk
The UK's Information Commissioner Office on Friday found that Google's accidental Wi-Fi snooping didn't collect dangerous amounts of information. An investigation of some data saved by Google showed no "significant" levels of data that would compromise privacy or security. ICO still characterized the collection itself as "wrong" but said there was no immediate evidence of broken laws from the data itself.
more
