Google brings historical Street View imagery to Google Earth

Google has unveiled a significant enhancement to Google Earth, enabling users to access historical Street View imagery directly within the application. This update, announced on Tuesday, marks a notable expansion from its previous exclusivity on Google Maps. The integration allows for a more versatile exploration experience, offering views from both the familiar bird’s eye perspective and immersive street level.

This timely feature arrives as part of Google Earth’s 20th-anniversary celebrations, marking two decades since its launch in 2005. The platform quickly gained traction, achieving an impressive 100 million downloads in its first week alone.

The move aligns with a popular social media trend from the past year, where users leveraged Google Maps to “virtually time travel”—revisiting past locations to observe changes or even spot loved ones in historical imagery. Now, Google has streamlined this experience, enabling users to undertake these nostalgic journeys directly within Google Earth.

Beyond historical exploration, Google is also rolling out new AI-driven insights for professional users in the U.S. within Google Earth. These advanced tools offer valuable data on environmental factors, such as comprehensive tree canopy coverage for various cities. For instance, in Austin, Texas, users can now pinpoint areas with dense tree cover and identify locations that could benefit from cooling strategies. Additionally, access to land surface temperature data will empower urban planners and environmentalists to understand hotter zones within cities, aiding in more informed and sustainable development decisions.

Reflecting on its journey, Google noted the platform’s initial viral success and its enduring utility. In the past year alone, Google Earth registered over 2 billion place searches, underscoring its continued relevance and popularity among users worldwide.