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Google Maps Expands Street View To Include 360-Degree Business Interiors

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As a former process server (think Seth Rogan in Pineapple Express), Google Maps pretty much changed my life. I could leave my house on a job and know that no matter where I end up, I will never be lost. Street View has long been another great feature in Maps allowing you to view businesses, hotels and and stalk Kelly Ferguson’s house, all from the comfort of your computer or handy Android phone.

Since the engineers at Google never sleep and are constantly improving on their services, Street View is getting a new addition by way of business interiors, allowing for users to get off the street and inside of businesses. It doesn’t end there, Google is also reportedly working with some businesses to add additional content like pictures of food being offered at restaurants.

The way it works is a business must opt-in for interior view by submitting an application to Google and scheduling a day for the photo shoot. Google Places will then show up and snap 360-degree shots of the interior of their store and whammy — a new virtual tour via Google Maps. Google is apparently adding interior view content from 37 different cities around the world from countries like the US, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, France and the UK.

If you want to check out interior view in action, click this link to scope out Comics Toons N Toys.

[AtlanticWire via Electronista]

Chris Chavez
I've been obsessed with consumer technology for about as long as I can remember, be it video games, photography, or mobile devices. If you can plug it in, I have to own it. Preparing for the day when Android finally becomes self-aware and I get to welcome our new robot overlords.

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21 Comments

  1. Know and no are different, and all those “cities” listed are countries. I don’t think I’ve ever commented but felt that should be brought to one’s attention, for their personal benefit. Cheers!

  2. “no” was an obvious typo……and he probably meant 37 cities in these countries….prob typed it quick…..cheers !

  3. This looks really cool, I only wish it were less cumbersome, because it doesn’t seem to me that a lot of people will do it if you have to schedule an appointment with the Google Places team, if it was something you could post on your own, I think it would take off and get used better? Although then I guess it wouldn’t be as cool as what they’ve done here?

    1. Google has been doing this with university campuses and amusements parks as part of their “partner program.” You basically send them a request to come out and take pics. This is pretty much the same thing but in non-open places.

      And I think they use their own special camera for taking 360-degree pics of stuff. I guess businesses can still do things the old way and snap a few pics to add them to their Google Maps profile. Still not as cool as a virtual tour =p

  4. Hey Chris, is there a way to reach you to let you know about typos etc? Maybe email? Or facebook? Let me know, [email protected]
    PS I always enjoy reading your articles, no offense to the other guys.

    1. At the end of the day if typo doesn’t have an affect on the clarity of an article there’s not much of a point in complaining about it/fixing it.

      1. LOL ya I an sure Chris wants” hey Chris you posted an article with a typo” on his Facebook wall.

    2. chris@phandroid

      Thanks, Stan! :)

    3. I will agree that Chris articles are typically my favorite. Maybe because he writes the way I think. :)

  5. Think they will add adult stores?.. ha. Here comes content rating for Google Maps ;)

  6. Chris, were you really a process server? If you were, then I really feel like you’re my long lost brother or something.

  7. THE IPHONE 14 WILL HAVE THIS IN 2021 AND PPL WILL GO CRAZY FOR IT

  8. This features of this application are far and beyond ANYTHING Apple has yet to offer their customers for free…

    Ha, I said Apple and Free in the same sentence.

    1. without Google, apple users don’t have a map app built into their OS. even when I was an iPhone users, I always said that Google maps was by far the best app ever invented for a mobile device.

  9. this makes planning my heist of multiple stores a breeze & less of a hassle since i can now simultaneously price the items i see on ‘google shopping’/shopper in preparation for selling them in the mischievous under belly of society.

    +1 Google!

  10. This is great. Google called me over 1 year ago about this for my business and we said we would love to be part of the initial launch of this program. I just pulled up my business on Google and it is amazing. We are a giant warehouse selling fabric and most people don’t believe or don’t want to come in so the fact they can view what the store is like before hand is great. It should bring me more business. You can see my store on google maps interior views. Type in Fabric Warehouse, Warren, MI. I am so happy they finally did this!

  11. This is an awesome concept, though I’m not sure how it could be executed en-mass.

    I’ve always thought something like this would be amazing for grocery stores. I can’t tell you how many times I need to find something random like “prepared horseradish” and spend 30 minutes looking for it.

    Enter, Google Grocery. :)

    1. o_O why would you want prepared horseradish?

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