Google Maps is, slowly but surely, turning into the Matrix.
The all-consuming app is rolling out a new feature called ‘Immersive view’, which is a bit of a game-changer when it comes to browsing far-off (or local) places from your phone.
Immersive view uses advances in AI and computer vision to fuse billions of Street View and aerial images to create a rich, digital model of the world.
It also layers helpful information on top like the weather, traffic, and how busy a place is.
And with a bit of finger dexterity you can glide around like some kind of omniscient drone taking in the sights.
For example, if you’re planning a visit to the Natural History Museum, Immersive view lets you soar over the building in virtual 3D and see where things like the entrances are.
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With the time slider, you can see what the area looks like at different times of day and what the weather will be like.
You can also spot where it tends to be most crowded so you can have all the information you need to decide where and when to go.
With the new feature you can also plan your meal in advance by gliding down to the street level to explore nearby restaurants. You can even go a step further and take a look inside to quickly understand the vibe of a spot before you book your reservation.
‘To create these true-to-life scenes, we use neural radiance fields (NeRF), an advanced AI technique, transforms ordinary pictures into 3D representations,’ said Google in a blog post.
‘With NeRF, we can accurately recreate the full context of a place including its lighting, the texture of materials and what’s in the background. All of this allows you to see if a bar’s moody lighting is the right vibe for a date night or if the views at a cafe make it the ideal spot for lunch with friends.’
How to use Immersive view
Immersive view starts rolling out today in London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo.
To use it on your device, make sure you have the latest version of Google Maps installed. It may take a couple of days for the update to work its way round to your device – so be patient if you don’t see it immediately.
Once you’ve updated, search which of the above cities you intend to view. When you do, you’ll see a new Immersive View card in the city’s detail page when you swipe up on your phone screen.
Tap the card to start your journey through the city and see for yourself how deep Google’s rabbit hole goes.
In the coming months, the feature will launch for even more cities, including Amsterdam, Dublin, Florence and Venice.
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