Google Maps, Immersive Media Offer Street Level View

  • May 30, 2007
Google has partnered with Immersive Media to provide a rich media view of local streets in Google Maps.

Users will now find a fifth viewing tab on the top right of the Google Maps screen--called Street View--that allows them to see businesses, landmarks, topography and street traffic, all with 360-degree swivel capability.

As of late yesterday afternoon, Google only offered the video-based Street View for major hubs in California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and New York, but Immersive Media reportedly has footage available for some 40,000 miles of road in North America, with plans to go global.

"We've been working on this for the past 18 months," said Myles McGovern, president and CEO, Immersive Media. "And we have a number of vehicles out, continuously collecting more data now."

While Google is the first company to utilize Immersive Media's technology on such a large public scale, Immersive has other clients in the national security, mapping, and commercial media industries.

Although Google currently does not feature advertising in the Street View, McGovern believes the possibilities for marketers to sponsor in-video content such as static billboards will flourish as rich media technology improves.

--Tameka Kee

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