Highlights:
• The new feature debuts on Tuesday 24 may, the 15th anniversary of Street View
• Street View is Google’s 360-degree photo-based map of the world
For the first time, Google Street View’s “time travel” feature is being added to smartphones, allowing users to look back at historical photos of locations on their phones.
What is street view?
Street View is Google’s 360-degree photo-based map of the world, which can be found within Google Maps and uses images captured from cameras mounted on vehicles and even backpacks.
Users on the desktop version of Street View can currently access any available historical images of a location – for example, a landmark or the street they live on – dating back to 2007, but this feature is now being extended to iOS and Android smartphones.
What the new feature is all about?
Street View is all about capturing the world as it changes, and it’s also a powerful way to reflect on the past,” said Ethan Russell, Google Maps’ senior director of product management.
“It’s now easier than ever to travel back in time right from your phone, starting today on Android and iOS worldwide.”
“Here’s how it works: When viewing Street View imagery of a location, tap anywhere on the photo to see information about it.
“Then tap ‘See more dates’ to see historical imagery of that location, dating back to when Street View first launched in 2007.”
