What is Google Street View, which is making a comeback in India?

Alphabet-owned Google has relaunched its Street View feature on Google Maps in India on Wednesday. This comes almost a decade after the country rejected the service due to its failure to obtain the necessary government security clearance.

Initially, the service will be made available in ten cities, with its plan to expand to over 50 cities by the end of this year.

What is Google's Street View service?

The mapping technology allows users to explore the world through street-level photography. The service can be used to see famous attractions and landmarks, along with finding restaurants, cafes, hospitals, gas stations, malls, public transportation details, and much more in the area.

Sometimes, in order to get where one needs to go, a bird's-eye view is not enough. There are times when one needs to be on the ground to find their destination or understand a tricky intersection. The Street View feature will allow users to scout the area ahead of time.

One of the updated features will also allow users to see the current traffic, along with a little-known shortcut to get where they are going.

How to use the Street View feature?

• Users in India can open Google Maps on their android or desktop, zoom into a road in any of the ten cities.

• Tap the area you want to view.

• The Street View feature will also offer information related to local cafes and cultural hotspots, giving users the opportunity to check out the neighbourhood.

Published on: Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 01:43 PM IST