Google Maps History
Google Maps began life as a software application, developed by Lars and Jens Rasmussen, that was acquired by Google Inc in 2004.
Google Maps was launched by Google, in early 2005, on web browsers Internet Explorer and Mozilla, followed shortly by Opera and Safari. More recently, it has also been made available on Google Chrome.
Google Maps History: 2005
Various applications of Google Maps, and additions to functionality, were introduced by Google in 2005, including (in order):
- Google Ride Finder
- Google Maps API
- Google Maps and Google Local services for Japan, including road maps.
- Google Hybrid View. Satellite image data was converted from plate carrée to Mercator projection, making for a less distorted image in temperate latitudes.
- Google Moon
- Google Maps quickly updated its satellite imagery of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, to allow users to view the extent of the flooding. In 2007 imagery showing hurricane damage was replaced with images from before the storm. (Google Earth still uses post-Katrina imagery).
Google Maps History: 2006
- Google Maps added road maps for the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and certain cities in the Republic of Ireland.
- Coverage of the area around Turin was added in time for the 2006 Winter Olympics.
- Google Maps was updated to use the same satellite imagery as Google Earth.
- Google Mars was launched, featuring a draggable map and satellite imagery of the planet Mars.
- Google Local was merged into the Google Maps site.
- Version 2 of the Google Maps API was released, with added geocoding capabilities
- Google Maps for Enterprise was launched, featuring intranet and advertisement-free implementations.
- Google Maps business listings as Local OneBoxes introduced to the main Google search results, followed quickly by integration of the PlusBox.
- Google Maps driving directions are given a multiple destinations capability. Buildings and subway stops are displayed in the Google Maps Map View for parts of London, New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and other cities.
Google Maps History: 2007
- Google Traffic info was launched on maps of 30 major cities of the United States, including real-time traffic flow conditions
- Google Local Business Center was upgraded.
- Google added neighborhood search capabilities.
- Google driving directions support was added to the Google Maps API.
- Street View was added, giving a ground-level 360-degree view of streets in some major cities in United States.
- Reviews were allowed to be added directly to businesses on Google Maps.
- Google draggable driving directions were introduced.
- Google announced a simple way to embed Google Maps into other websites.
- New countries were added to Google Maps in Latin America and Asia.
- Google Transit was integrated into Google Maps making public transportation routing possible on Google Maps.
- Google Maps started mapping the geoweb and showing the results in Google Maps.
- Google Maps added a searchable interface for coupons in the business listings.
- Google Maps Terrain view showing basic topographic features was added.
- The button for Hybrid view was removed, to be replaced by a Show labels checkbox under the Satellite button to switch between Hybrid" and Satellite" views.
Google Maps History: 2008
- The Google Local Onebox was expanded from 3 business listings to 10.
- Google Maps allowed searches to be refined by User Rating & neighborhoods.
- Google allowed end users to edit business listings and add new places.
- Google added unlimited category options in the Local Business Center.
- Google added contour lines to the Terrain view.
- A button to view Saved Locations was added.
- A More button was added alongside the Map, Satellite, and Terrain buttons, permitting access to related photos on Panoramio and Wikipedia articles.
- Google Maps was ported to Flash and ActionScript as a foundation for internet applications.
- Walking directions were added.
- Google Maps Street View was launched in Japan and Australia.
- Google signed a deal where GeoEye would supply them with imagery from an actual satellite
- Google Map Maker introduced for creation of map data.
- A reverse business lookup feature was added.[
- Information about the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority was added.
- GeoEye-1 produced its first image, a bird's-eye view of Kutztown University in Pennsylvania.
- Reverse geocoding was added to the Maps API.
- Googe Maps Street View was introduced for Spain, Italy, and France.
- AIR support for the Maps API for Flash was added.
- Maps, local business information, and local trends for China were introduced.
Google Maps History: 2009
- New Google Maps logo was introduced.
- Google replaced Tele Atlas as their primary supplier of geospatial data in the U.S. version of Google Maps and started to use their own data.[
- Railroads were updated and their look improved, removing older lines.
Google Maps History: 2010
- Google Maps Labs was added.
- Street View in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Macau, and more locations in Japan were launched.
- Public transportation routing for Denmark was added by integrating with Rejseplanen.dk
Google Maps Future?
There are various limitations to Google Maps that Google should think about changing. These include:
- Google Maps generates maps in a similar way to a Mercator projection, so it cannot show areas around the poles.
- There are various limitations of Google driving directions, for instance you can't plan a journey from London to Moscow in one go.
