Google introduced a new feature that allows people to look back in time with Street View imagery showing how the world has changed over the years.
Google Inc., the world leader in Internet search and innovative technology, introduced a new feature in Street View service that takes its users back in time. The Mountain View, Calif.-based Internet search company is putting historical imagery from the past collections into use so that Internet users can see how the world has changed over the years.
Google has used its vast resources to make a digital time capsule for the entire world. Unlike Facebook's "On This Day" feature that was announced last August to let users relive their previous year's moments, Google's digital time travelling feature works on a global level and is not just limited to user's past experiences.
"If you've ever dreamt of being a time traveler like Doc Brown, now's your chance," Vinay Shet, Google Street View Product Manager, wrote in an official Google Maps blog post, Wednesday." Starting today, you can travel to the past to see how a place has changed over the years by exploring Street View imagery in Google Maps for desktop. We've gathered historical imagery from past Street View collections dating back to 2007 to create this digital time capsule of the world."
The Google Street View is still in its infancy. Google can only locate pictures dating back to 2007 and is not available to all users.
The digital time capsule from Google will be available as a clock icon in the upper left hand side of a Street View panorama. Users can move the interactive slider to see how the place has changed in the last seven years. The slider will show the changes in thumbnails and clicking any will open up the particular moment in the history in full screen.
Shet highlighted some of the landmark's that have been captured from the ground up, which includes the Freedom Tower in New York City and the 2014 World Cup Stadium in Fortaleza, Brazil. The new feature also shows the reconstruction after the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
"You can even experience different seasons and see what it would be like to cruise Italian roadways in both summer and winter," Shet said.
The addition of the new feature to the Street View builds on the vast library of places around the world captured in panoramic imagery for the world to watch. Google has covered the breathtaking view from the top of the Eiffel Tower and also captured the wonders of the world in its camera. Popular zoos from different parts of the world are added in the Street View and thousands of other locations ranging from sports stadium to canals of Copenhagen.
