A new feature from Google has taken on the existing customised StreetView service for brands so users can also create their own personalized versions.
Users can build their own StreetView and share it with
Google Maps community, by
creating a photo sphere using their Android phone or DSLR camera.
Photo sphere is a 360 degree view of a location,like a panorama view.
After uploading to
Google Views, users can select the photo sphere from their profile, and map each photo with geo locations to create a Street View-type experience.
Below screen grab shows how photo spheres will be mapped by a user to create Street View experience.
Google Maps and Photo Sphere product manager Evan Rapoport has created this street view:
Travel industry usage
- Travellers can share their entire trip experience with friends/family using this new Street View tool
- Travel bloggers can create Street View of places they visit, and embed them in each of the blog posts they write
- A big push for destination marketers to showcase key tourist places
- Hoteliers can replace the plain Google Map that shows "Directions"in a hotel website with a Street View from nearest train/bus stations.
The idea is similar to the
Sphere (formerly TourWrist) service which allows users and brands to create their own 360-degree views and pages.