Google Maps Satellite View Gains High Definition Landsat 8 Imagery

[Hustler1337]

Anyone can provide a live link to locations where it has been updated to the new satellite images? Looking at New York City on the Google Maps website, it seems like it's not updated. Thanks
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In Germany Apple Maps is also far ahead in resolution and actuality. Where I come from I could determine that the picture is from spring 2014, since I could see the fresh grave, covered with flowers, of somebody I knew... Google maps pictures are low rez, washed out and outdated by comparison. Lets see if it improves now.

But as someone mentioned earlier, Apple Maps debuted much later than Google Maps, so naturally Apple would most likely have more recent satellite imagery. Also, Google Maps update their images quite 'often' and I'd imagine Apple wouldn't do so as often as Google do.

 

[hanser]

Anyone can provide a live link to locations where it has been updated to the new satellite images? Looking at New York City on the Google Maps website, it seems like it's not updated. Thanks
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But as someone mentioned earlier, Apple Maps debuted much later than Google Maps, so naturally Apple would most likely have more recent satellite imagery. Also, Google Maps update their images quite 'often' and I'd imagine Apple wouldn't do so as often as Google do.

Apple Maps debuted before 2014 in Germany; I remember that first the quality was not as good as now. They updated in 2014, at least here in the southwest.

 

[carlvsampson]

Here we go:

Apple: the beautiful Calatrava bridge in Reggio Emilia, Italy: Reggio nell'Emilia — Emilia-Romagna

Google: bridge isn't yet built https://www.google.it/maps/@44.7273078,10.6349815,961m/data=!3m1!1e3

I know it's about 9 years for sure, as my house was finished 9 years ago, and in Google it appears under construction.

That's funny - I just clicked on the Google link, and not only saw the bridge in question, but it also appeared to be open to traffic...

 

[one more]

Thanks

My bad . I thought you were from the US. While obviously in your profile says Italy.

Interesting. Wonder why Google is so far behind ...

Same for rural France, where Apple satellite imagery is fresher than that of Google. Makes sense, actually, as Apple entered this field much later, so they probably have the images that are about 4 years old for everywhere, whereas Google might have kept some less important areas not updated for longer?

 

[djcerla]

That's funny - I just clicked on the Google link, and not only saw the bridge in question, but it also appeared to be open to traffic...

Nope.

 

[DrewDaHilp1]

Conversation I was having less than an hour ago:

You can have google block your house out on street view.

 

[Gasu E.]

Dumb argument when you think it through.
Apple Mapps was launched a few years ago, so the material might be more recent than Google's dont you think?

You just argued that Google doesn't update their material.

 

[AvidArtist]

Well, that does it. No more sunbathing nude in the backyard. Oh well

 

[kuwxman]

Nope.

Like the other user, I clicked the link and see a bridge that is open.

 

[danwells]

The high-resolution imagery people are talking about here is not Landsat (Landsat 8 or otherwise)... Landsat is low-resolution (15 meter pixel, even larger pixels for several of its most interesting capabilities) imagery that is incredibly useful for broad-scale looks at landforms and land use, but very little for buildings. A football field in Landsat imagery is 6.5 pixels long! Google certainly DOES use Landsat, and the upgrade to Landsat 8 is meaningful (Landsat 7 used 30 meter pixels), but you're seeing Landsat when you look at the Himalayas, not when you zoom in on New York City and see taxis.

 

[kdarling]

Like the other user, I clicked the link and see a bridge that is open.

Interesting. I'm in the Northeast US and the link showed what looks like a bridge under construction, with nowhere near the resolution of the image you saw.

Wonder if it's being rolled out to different server farms.

 

[BennyBean]

Like the other user, I clicked the link and see a bridge that is open.

I see the same thing. The bridge is even a 3D model that you can zoom in around and look at from any perspective. Google doesn't roll out the new footage to everyone at the same time. Just like Android OS updates don't roll out OTA to everyone, or new gmail features, etc. They do it in deployment stages.

 

[tennisproha]

Conversation I was having less than an hour ago:

Oh goody, what's your address?

It's a rolling update. Give it sometime

Where do you live? I'd like to see a 9 year old google map image, never seen one .

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Come to think about it. How would you know an image is 9 years old?.....

Maps is very US centric. Outside of the US and maybe metro Europe, you're gonna find very little up to date imagery. Click practically anywhere else in the world and you find outdated imagery, even 9 years old.

Here we go:

Apple: the beautiful Calatrava bridge in Reggio Emilia, Italy: Reggio nell'Emilia — Emilia-Romagna

Google: bridge isn't yet built https://www.google.it/maps/@44.7273078,10.6349815,961m/data=!3m1!1e3

I know it's about 9 years for sure, as my house was finished 9 years ago, and in Google it appears under construction.

Looks like it might be showing to some as someone has a screenshot from Google. It's probably quite recent though if you can't see it yet over there.


As much as I support and love Apple Maps, they really need to pick up the pace here. The improvements are way too sporadic. I've submitted countless error reports. This Google update might just make me jump ship. Apple does have good imagery in some places but Google is better in others. But Apple needs to vastly improve and update their POIs and navigation algorithm.

 

[Carlanga]

Still 9-years old, low definition satellite imagery in my area, whereas Apple maps imagery is sharp, and updated.

Lol nice joke

 

[djcerla]

Lol nice joke

Google's satellite imagery is definitely a joke here.

 

[sofila]

That's funny - I just clicked on the Google link, and not only saw the bridge in question, but it also appeared to be open to traffic...

Like the other user, I clicked the link and see a bridge that is open.

Interesting. I'm in the Northeast US and the link showed what looks like a bridge under construction, with nowhere near the resolution of the image you saw.

Wonder if it's being rolled out to different server farms.

I see the same thing. The bridge is even a 3D model that you can zoom in around and look at from any perspective. Google doesn't roll out the new footage to everyone at the same time. Just like Android OS updates don't roll out OTA to everyone, or new gmail features, etc. They do it in deployment stages.

View attachment 638107

The OLD bridge (on Google image with cars on) is on the left. Due to new high-speed trains travelling under, all of the bridges on the highway were destroyed and rebuilt a few meters from the old location. The new bridge mentioned (on the right in Apple image) is the one showed in BennyBean post. So Google old bridge, Apple new bridge just 30 meters to the east

 

[BennyBean]

The OLD bridge (on Google image with cars on) is on the left. Due to new high-speed trains travelling under, all of the bridges on the highway were destroyed and rebuilt a few meters from the old location. The new bridge mentioned (on the right in Apple image) is the one showed in BennyBean post. So Google old bridge, Apple new bridge just 30 meters to the east

But I took that screenshot in google images, not apple. When I compare Apple maps and Google maps, I see the same bridges, the same dirt tracks next to them, and the same everything else...except Google's got it (and the two neighbor bridges) in full 3D, and Apple doesn't. Google has newer satellite footage, actually, because you can still see some of the construction remnants in the Apple imagery, but those same bare spots are green and pretty now. At least a full season, if not a full year ahead of Apple's imagery.

Some of you just aren't seeing the current google imagery for (insert server roll-out related reason).

 

[skitidetdu]

In Apple maps the WTC tower 1 and 4 are not yet complete and nr 3 that top out the other day hasn't ever yet begun its construction. Jeez...

 

[sofila]

But I took that screenshot in google images, not apple. When I compare Apple maps and Google maps, I see the same bridges, the same dirt tracks next to them, and the same everything else...except Google's got it (and the two neighbor bridges) in full 3D, and Apple doesn't. Google has newer satellite footage, actually, because you can still see some of the construction remnants in the Apple imagery, but those same bare spots are green and pretty now. At least a full season, if not a full year ahead of Apple's imagery.

Some of you just aren't seeing the current google imagery for (insert server roll-out related reason).

I see what you mean, probably kdarling's guess is right, as usual. Unfortunately I had to reduce the screenshot size. Curiously, as I posted before, the area I live in (less than 200 km from here) is well updated

 

[djcerla]

But I took that screenshot in google images, not apple. When I compare Apple maps and Google maps, I see the same bridges, the same dirt tracks next to them, and the same everything else...except Google's got it (and the two neighbor bridges) in full 3D, and Apple doesn't. Google has newer satellite footage, actually, because you can still see some of the construction remnants in the Apple imagery, but those same bare spots are green and pretty now. At least a full season, if not a full year ahead of Apple's imagery.

Some of you just aren't seeing the current google imagery for (insert server roll-out related reason).

It could very well be. But this means that until today (I still see the old images here, despite emptying caches, etc), google imagery was 9 full years behind Apple's.
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Here's another: left, Google, right Apple. The houses are totally missing.

Just saved the screenshots after closing/reopening apps.

 

[sofila]

Update, on Windows 10 and latter Chrome the image is updated. Both Surface Pro 4 and another Windows laptop. The old iMac (ancient, to tell the truth...) shows old imagery.
So I think it's a matter of browsers and devices

 

[Howyalikdemapls]

Like our previous mosaic, we mined data from nearly a petabyte of Landsat imagery--that's more than 700 trillion individual pixels--to choose the best cloud-free pixels. To put that in perspective, 700 trillion pixels is 7,000 times more pixels than the estimated number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, or 70 times more pixels than the estimated number of galaxies in the Universe.

I was having a hard time understanding how many pixels they were dealing with, so I'm really glad to cleared it up for me by relating it to how many galaxies are estimated to exist in the Universe, since I have a clear familiarity with that number.

Perhaps they could also help us out by comparing it to the number of atoms in an abstract amount of fluid.

 

[Michael Scrip]

"I want to hear more about this bridge..."

 

[Solomani]

I would like to see Apple deploy it's own Satellites. Is there any Governmental regulation against that?.

Well, it could be possible. After all…. privately owned corporations like SpaceX (Musk) and SpaceShipOne (Branson) are already allowed to deploy their own space-flight ships, independent of NASA.

 

[patent10021]

This is the best news I've read on here in awhile!
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Government/military won't allow it I'm afraid.

They will but it will have a delay for censorship like live TV.