In Street View mode, users can access historical images by first clicking anywhere on a photo to see information about the location, then selecting “View more dates” to access historical images of the current location.
Google said the feature can show images from as early as 2007, when Street View was released. Since 2014, the desktop version of Google Maps has offered the ability to display historical Street View, which debuted today in the mobile version of the app.
We learned that Google also announced that it will deploy more new Street View cameras next year to capture more high-quality imagery in more difficult-to-reach places.
The new Street View camera weighs less than 15 pounds (about 6.81 kg) and can be transported anywhere, Google said, and it’s designed to be modular so that components like LIDAR can be added to collect images with more useful detail, such as lane markings or potholes. The camera can also be attached to any vehicle with a roof rack and operated from a mobile device.
