The 15th anniversary of Google Maps was accompanied by two exciting events

Coinciding with the 15th anniversary of Google Maps, the Street View feature and several other new features will be added to the popular Google Maps navigation service.

Google officially announced today that on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of Google Maps, the “Street View” feature along with several other features will be added to this application. The first one is a new feature that will be available for both iOS and Android platforms, which will display historical street view images on your phone. The second upgrade is a new and portable camera that is used to increase the ease of recording images for this service.

Since 2014, using the Street View feature to see how places have changed over the years has been available through the desktop version of Google Maps. But now, the iOS and Android applications of this service will also be equipped with such a feature. Thus, when you are in street view mode, you can access it by tapping anywhere on the screen, and then by selecting the “See More Dates” option, historical images of a place will be displayed. According to Google, the feature will display images captured in accessible locations since the launch of the Street View service in 2007.

Google’s new portable camera

The second announcement that Google announced on the occasion of the anniversary of Street View and also the celebration of the 15th anniversary of Google Maps is the introduction of a new and portable camera for recording 360-degree images. Currently, the search giant uses dedicated vehicles and large camera-equipped backpacks called “Trekkers” to photograph the world. Now, Google’s new camera packs all these features into a device that weighs less than 7kg.

The camera is designed to make it easier for Google to capture Street View images from around the world, allowing it to receive frequent updates. For example, instead of paying to transport camera-equipped cars, Google could simply install its new camera in an existing vehicle.

Given that Street View data was previously captured via bulky cameras mounted on snowmobiles to Venetian gondolas, it’s certainly possible to imagine a wider variety of new vehicles that Google could easily fit its new tiny camera onto. This will make the process easier.

Although Google emphasizes the portability of its new camera, Stuman Silverman, head of the Street View hardware team, says that panorama photos have also been improved in the new camera.

Silverman says:

In the new camera, the sensors are of higher quality and have a lower signal-to-noise ratio, which helps to increase image resolution.

In this series, seven camera sensors record panoramic views as before with a resolution of 140 megapixels. Although lidar sensors are not installed by default in this generation, Silverman insists that this camera is designed in such a way that it can be customized and added sensors when necessary.

The new Google camera can easily be used on all kinds of cars

Street view in Google Maps is a very useful and fun feature. But for Google, having small, portable cameras roaming the streets is also a useful way to improve the company’s map data. Street View images are used to add newly opened businesses to Google Maps, improve information about business hours, and provide speed limit information on roads.

Silverman finally said that the new Google camera will be available next year with the ability to be used on existing cars.