Google Maps Adds Historical Imagery to Show Earth’s Changes

If you’ve ever wanted to see what your city looked like in the past, Google Earth’s new historical imagery has you covered.

The satellite and aerial imagery will allow users to see what their city—or other environment—has looked like throughout history, with some imagery dating back to the 1930s.

Google shared an example of a 1938 black-and-white photo of San Francisco taken by pilots from Oakland Airport, which clearly shows the ports being used for industry and shipping.

Users can compare historical imagery with an up-to-date image – in this case, a 2022 image showing cruise ships in the harbor and restaurants dotting the city’s piers.

Street View Sees a Major Update

Google Maps is also introducing “one of the biggest updates to Street View” which will bring new images to almost 80 countries.

Countries getting Street View for the first time include:

• Paraguay
• Namibia
• Liechtenstein
• Bosnia

Other countries which will see expanded images include Australia, France, Denmark, Spain, Japan, Switzerland, Iceland, Mexico, Philippines, New Zealand, Serbia, Uruguay, Brazil, Costa Rica, South Africa, Rwanda, and Argentina.

Google’s CloudScore+ Brings Sharper Satellite Imagery

Sharper satellite imagery will soon be a thing across Google Earth and Maps too, thanks to Google Cloud Score+ AI model. It can identify and remove cloud shadows, clouds, mist and haze for a “clearer, more accurate look at Earth” – all while keeping other details such as snow, ice, and real-world weather patterns intact.