30 November 2011 | Author: L Boyd Media Intern
Google has announced the final frontier for Google maps - mapping the indoors.
Not satisfied with surveying and mapping almost every inch of outdoor space on earth, the search seraph has turned its attentions to the indoor nooks and crannies of airport, shopping malls and other indoor public spaces.
Google Maps 6.0 for Android enables users to find their way around with their handsets. Users can explore the entire building floor plan or locate points of interest such as specific shops, public toilets and ATMs.
"When you're inside an airport, shopping mall or retail store, a common way to figure out where you are is to look for a freestanding map directory or ask an employee for help," vice president of engineering for Google Earth and Maps Brian McClendon explained.
"Starting today, with the release of Google Maps 6.0 for Android, that directory is brought to the palm of your hands, helping you determine where you are, what floor you're on, and where to go indoors."
Using the familiar Google Maps 'blue dot' icon, the new app can find a user's location within several metres and also indicate which floor of a building they are on - a useful tool for those of us who are prone getting lost.
Google has partnered with 25 businesses that regularly handle large crowds of people - including IKEA, San Francisco International and Chicago O'Hare airports, and Macy's and Bloomingdale's megastores.
While Google encourages more businesses to upload their own floor maps to the Maps database via a newly available beta tool, McClendon believes this is only the beginning for indoor mapping.
"This is just the start - we'll continually add new indoor maps to public buildings across the world," McClendon said.
It's an inside job for Google maps
Google has announced the final frontier for Google maps - mapping the indoors. Not satisfied with surveying and mapping almost every inch of outdoor space on earth, the search seraph has turned its attentions to the indoor nooks and crannies of airport, shopping malls and other indoor public spaces.
Google Maps 6.0 for Android enables users to find their way around with their handsets. Users can explore the entire building floor plan or locate points of interest such as specific shops, public toilets and ATMs.
"When you're inside an airport, shopping mall or retail store, a common way to figure out where you are is to look for a freestanding map directory or ask an employee for help," vice president of engineering for Google Earth and Maps Brian McClendon explained.
"Starting today, with the release of Google Maps 6.0 for Android, that directory is brought to the palm of your hands, helping you determine where you are, what floor you're on, and where to go indoors."
Using the familiar Google Maps 'blue dot' icon, the new app can find a user's location within several metres and also indicate which floor of a building they are on - a useful tool for those of us who are prone getting lost.
Google has partnered with 25 businesses that regularly handle large crowds of people - including IKEA, San Francisco International and Chicago O'Hare airports, and Macy's and Bloomingdale's megastores.
While Google encourages more businesses to upload their own floor maps to the Maps database via a newly available beta tool, McClendon believes this is only the beginning for indoor mapping.
"This is just the start - we'll continually add new indoor maps to public buildings across the world," McClendon said.
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