Google Maps Street View now available across all roads in India, How to use it
The Google Maps Street View feature is now available across all roads including the rural areas, small villages, and town roads of India.
The Google Maps Street View feature is now available across all roads including the rural areas, small villages, and town roads of India. With the Street View feature, users will get to experience a virtual representation of their their surroundings.
The Street View of the Google Map was finally accepted in the country last year after six years of rejection due to privacy concerns. It was initially launched in Bengaluru on a pilot basis. Users can add a location, select Street View on Maps, and enjoy a 360-degree view of roads and houses as if they are physically present there.
Now, users can check out a certain place and know where to go and what to expect when travelling. Google Maps shows 360-viewing option for most of the places while some places are shown in static images. Google Maps will also show when the photo of a particular area was taken through a tiny caption placed at the bottom right.
How to use Street View on Google Maps
The Google Map’s Street View is available for both the Android smartphones and iPhones. You can also use it on the Google Maps website. According to Google, users can can explore world landmarks and natural wonders, and experience places like museums, arenas, restaurants, and small businesses with Street View.
To use Google Maps’s Street View on PC, follow the steps below:
Step-1: Open Google Maps on your browser
Step-2: Turn on Street View from the “Layers” box at the bottom left
Step-3: Select an area manually or enter the location in the search box.
To use Google Maps’s Street View on Android phones or iPhones, follow the steps below:
Step-1: Open Google Maps on Android smartphone or iPhone
Step-2: Turn on Street View from the “Layers” box at the bottom left on the app
Step-3: Select an area manually or enter the location in the search box.
The interface on the web and app remains more or less the same. If you wan to move forward on the map and explore an area then click on the arrows.
To recall, India banned the use of Street View on Google Maps in 2016 due to security concerns. The feature was banned mainly because Street View lets users explore areas via stitched panoramic photos, which could potentially reveal the identity of a person, which is a breach of privacy. The feature was once again rejected by the government in 2018.
The feature was finally allowed after Google announced a partnership with local players. Last year, Google stated Street View was achieved in collaboration with Genesys International and Tech Mahindra. Additionally, Street View now blurs the faces of people who are captured in the panoramic photo. The company argues that it only highlights public places, and no one’s privacy gets compromised.
Following its release in Bengaluru, Street View support has been extended to additional cities. While Google stated that it was a pan India launch last year, we have observed that numerous pictures of remote locations carry the timestamp of 2023, suggesting that the area got covered under Street View this year.
Ms Kalinga