8 PCWorld JUNE 2022NEWS THE 5 COOLEST THINGS AT GOOGLE I/O
[fave.co/3w8qGor], the new Pixel Watch
[fave.co/3st2BXp], and the new Immersive
Mode in Maps [fave.co/3lclFF2].)IMMERSIVE VIEW
IN GOOGLE MAPS
Google Maps began life as a two-dimensional
representation of streets and highways. Over
time, Google Maps has added traffic (as
reported by Google Phones), Google Earth
(as recorded by satellites and low-flying
planes), and Google Street View (imagery
from cars and cameras). Now, Google has
started putting it all together with Immersive
View for Maps. Immersive View layers actual
imagery on top of simulated buildings it
creates itself.
Immersive View is the next generation of
the 3D perspective that’s already in yourAndroid phone—try zooming in on a major
city, then tapping the Layers icon in the
upper-right corner, then the 3D control...
and you’ll see it’s pretty awful. It’s a sea of
ghostly images superimposed on your
phone’s screen at only a certain zoom level.
But Immersive View looks like it will bring
color and life back to the 3D world of
Google Maps.
Ironically, there’s a decent version of
Immersive View already available. Try
opening the Maps application on your
Windows 10 or 11 PC, zoom in on a city, then
select the small angled grid.GOOGLE SEARCH VIA
SCENE EXPLORATION
Scene Exploration is the next iteration of
Google Search, mimicking how you yourselfWill Immersive View for Google Maps look as good as this when it’s released?