Q12013

Also known as Where 2 Technologies

Google's web mapping service (launched 2005)

AI overview

Q12013 is Google Maps, the web-based mapping service that Google launched in 2005, which allows users to view satellite imagery, street maps, and directions for locations around the world. It matters because it transformed how people navigate and explore places, becoming one of the most widely used mapping tools on the internet.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Official website: google.ch/maps

Show 9 more facts

Commons category: Google Maps
Stack Exchange tag: stackoverflow.com/tags/google-maps
inception: 2005-02-08
official blog URL: blog.google/products/maps
search formatter URL: www.google.com/maps?q=$1
ACM Classification Code (2012): 10011480
native label: Google Maps
social media followers: 920000
visitors per year: 2000000000

Sources (13)

via Wikidata · CC0

~40 min read

Article

Google Maps is a web mapping platform and consumer application developed by Google. It offers satellite imagery, aerial photography, street maps, 360° interactive panoramic views of streets (Street View), real-time traffic conditions, and route planning for traveling by foot, car, bike, and public transportation. As of 2020, Google Maps was being used by over one billion people every month around the world.

Google Maps began as a C++ desktop program developed by brothers Lars and Jens Rasmussen, Stephen Ma and Noel Gordon in Australia at Where 2 Technologies. In October 2004, the company was acquired by Google, which converted it into a web application. After additional acquisitions of a geospatial data visualization company and a real-time traffic analyzer, Google Maps was launched in February 2005. The service's front end utilizes JavaScript, XML, and Ajax. Google Maps offers an API that allows maps to be embedded on third-party websites, and offers a locator for businesses and other organizations in numerous countries around the world. Google Map Maker allowed users to collaboratively expand and update the service's mapping worldwide but was discontinued from March 2017. However, crowdsourced contributions to Google Maps were not discontinued as the company announced those features would be transferred to the Google Local Guides program, although users that are not Local Guides can still contribute.