Google Street View has updated its photo material for major German cities, providing users with current photos for the first time since 2009. Previously, only the 20 largest cities in Germany were featured on Google Street View, using outdated image material from 2008 and 2009. However, in 2022, Google began making new recordings and has already updated the images for the 20 largest German cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne. Google plans to expand its coverage to include smaller towns and regions as well.
Between June and October, Google camera cars will be driving through Germany to map other areas throughout the country. These recordings will be gradually added to the app and browser versions of Street View. An overview website is available to show which cities, villages, and regions are being captured by the Google cars.
Google Street View combines these photos into a navigable view of streets, including houses and people. However, Google blurs the faces and license plates of all recognized individuals for privacy protection. For those who do not wish their house to be visible in Street View, they can file a complaint with Google, and their buildings will also be made unrecognizable. It is important to note that objections to past inclusions will not be considered by Google, and objections must be resubmitted.
To prepare for the uploading of the new photos, Google recently deleted the old photos from Street View. The need for the update arose due to user complaints about the outdated images, as the previous recordings were created almost 15 years ago. Apple’s “Look Around” service offers competition to Google Street View, providing more up-to-date panoramas that are available in a larger number of German towns and villages.
