How Google Maps Changed the Navigation Game. Now Google maps are the top guy when it comes to GPS Navigation. It was originally released in 2005 as a desktop platform that aided users in locating the nearest businesses and getting directions from one location to another (According to Google). It only took some years later before Google decided to introduce the real-time traffic information for major cities across the U.S. and street view soon followed with a full debut in May 2007.
How Google Maps Changed the Navigation Game
Digital maps were not something new while Google Maps was under development, mind. The Yahoo maps has already been created and released in the year 1998 and were receiving regular updates, not to mention some unique features at the time.
The aforementioned MapQuest service was built in 1996, meanwhile, offering users digital maps and, soon enough, printable directions. MapQuest contributed big time to making digital mapping popular, but Google maps finally caught up with its then-biggest competitor in the year 2008. What Actually made Google Navigation more popular among drivers?
What Made Google Maps the Boss Today
Google did not only expand its map features over the years following its launch, but it also made the service more convenient for users compared to what it used to be when its smartphone android app was created in 2008.
The product joined a previous version of the Google maps that supported Now-obsolete mobile devices from companies like Palm and Blackberry, ultimately making the arrival of the smartphone navigation era that we all derive joy from using today. The google maps app for iPhones did not arrive until years later in 2012, however.
Talking to the Guardian, former Google geospatial division vice president John Hanke stated that satellite imagery – and street view in particular – likely also worked the way for the Google maps’ dominance in the market. With its limited launch in the year 2006, the street view feature was launched internationally in a lot of countries in 2008.
The new street view does not only capture images of roads but also uses GPS to map out routes, offering Google the access to tons of navigation data while also offering consumers an entirely unique look at maps – with a view from the streets, literally.
Google Maps Competition
Although Google has faced competition from major companies like Apple and Microsoft, Google Maps still remains at the top of the Market – as a matter of fact, it was the most popular navigation app in the United States in 2021, followed closely by Google’s very own navigation app Waze according to Statista.
The product has acquired the position of the top navigation app owning to its accuracy, ease of use, and all of the features it offers. This service entirely changed how people navigated their day-to-day lives, and it is still the most influential and it is widely recognized.
