Google Maps is a web-based mapping platform developed by Google, providing detailed geographical information, satellite imagery, street maps, and real-time navigation services. It allows users to explore locations, obtain driving, walking, cycling, and public transit directions, and access various overlaid data such as traffic conditions, business information, and user reviews. The service is accessible via web browsers, mobile applications for Android and iOS, and integrates with other Google products like Google Search and Google Assistant.
Google Maps was first launched on February 8, 2005, initially as a web application offering basic mapping and directions. It was developed using data from sources like the U.S. Census Bureau and NAVTEQ, with early features focused on draggable maps and hybrid satellite-street views. In 2006, Google acquired Keyhole Inc., which powered the initial 3D globe features, leading to the integration of Google Earth elements. Street View was introduced in 2007, starting with select U.S. cities, using 360-degree panoramic cameras mounted on vehicles. By 2008, the service expanded internationally and added traffic data visualization. Mobile apps followed in 2008 for Symbian and iPhone, with Android integration deepening over time.
Major milestones include the 2010 introduction of Google Maps Navigation for turn-by-turn voice-guided directions, free on Android. In 2012, offline maps were added for mobile users. The platform saw significant enhancements in 2015 with the redesign emphasizing mobile-first experiences and the addition of Google Maps Timeline, a location history feature that tracks user visits and routes. By 2019, Google announced privacy updates, allowing users to auto-delete location data after set periods. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 prompted features like COVID-19 info layers and busyness predictions for locations.
In recent years, as of 2025, Google Maps has incorporated AI advancements, including Gemini-powered trip planning and Immersive View, a 3D visualization tool for routes and landmarks. The service now supports over 220 countries and territories, with ongoing updates for electric vehicle charging stations and eco-friendly routing options.
Google Maps operates on a client-server model where user queries are processed via Google's servers, returning customized map tiles and data. Key functionalities include:
The navigation system provides real-time routing with voice guidance, integrating live traffic data from user reports and sensors. Users can select modes like driving (with fuel-efficient options), walking, biking, or transit, including schedules for buses, trains, and flights. Features like "glanceable directions" display upcoming turns on the lock screen or overview, reducing the need to interact with the device while driving. As of 2024, AI enhancements allow natural language queries, such as "find a scenic route," and integration with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Google Maps Timeline, formerly Location History, automatically records a user's visits, routes, and travel modes when enabled. Accessible via the web or app, it allows users to view past trips by date, edit entries for accuracy, and export data. Privacy controls let users pause tracking, delete specific locations, or set auto-deletion (3, 18, or 36 months). This feature syncs across signed-in devices and supports recaps for trips, such as summarizing visits to a specific place over time.
Street View offers immersive 360-degree street-level imagery, captured by Google's fleet of camera-equipped vehicles, trekkers, and underwater equipment. Users can explore historical versions by sliding a time bar, viewing changes over years in supported areas. In Google Earth integration, timelapse functionality animates satellite imagery from 1984 onward, showing urban development and environmental changes.
Google Maps includes business listings with photos, reviews, and hours, powered by Google Business Profile. Users can create custom maps, share locations in real-time, and use offline mode for downloaded areas. Immersive View, rolled out in 2023, uses AI to blend Street View and aerial imagery for photorealistic previews of routes or destinations, now expanded to hundreds of cities. Other tools encompass air quality overlays, wildfire tracking, and accessibility options like wheelchair-friendly routing.
The platform maintains data accuracy through crowdsourcing, partnerships with mapping agencies, and a global team verifying listings. In 2024, Google discontinued the chat feature in business profiles to streamline interactions.
For more details on managing Timeline, refer to Google Maps Help. Historical imagery usage is documented at Google for Developers. General overviews can be found on Wikipedia and Tom's Guide.