Google Maps offline and in 3D: officially coming soon

That the geolocation is one of the key factors in mobility services is no secret to anyone.
The game seems to be shifting increasingly towards mapping services, so it’s no surprise that Google, just days after the news that Apple might drop Google Maps in favor of its own system, has come forward with particularly interesting news: Google Maps will soon be available offline.
Not only that, the Mountain View giant has also announced that work is underway on 3D maps, much more accurate and rich in details. In this case, the resources developed over time by the team of engineers working on the specifications of Google Earth.
The Google Maps offline will be available on Android devices and, obviously, it will be necessary to first download the map sections of interest with an internet connection.
From that moment on, however, the map of that city or country will stay stored on the device, allowing it to be accessed anytime.

It is interesting to know that it will be possible to make the map “interactive” if you choose to activate the GPS signal. However, at least initially, offline maps won’t be usable down to the detail level provided by Street View, but will stop one zoom level before.
The focus on Google maps seems to be ever increasing: besides the new features just described, there is another clue pointing to this conclusion.
It has been revealed that Google Maps will soon be enriched even more, especially in areas not yet covered by Google Street View: think of how many pedestrian-only streets were excluded from the passage of the now well-known Google Cars.
To avoid leaving out important areas, the Google staff is developing image capturing systems that can fill these “image gaps,” designing for example small carts equipped with cameras and video, to venture into areas not open to traffic, in full compliance with road regulations.