Google mapping the indoors

November 30, 2011 | Online Marketing

Android users who download the latest version of Google Maps from Android Market will now be able to locate themselves inside airports, malls and big department stores that partner with Google and share their floor plans.

Google Maps will offer the familiar blue dot that shows where a user is surrounded by a very rich representation of indoor spaces.

Google said users will be able to see specific maps for each floor they visit with their location accurate to within 5 to 10 meters. Users will see not just stores but also points of interests such as airport gates, ATMs or bathrooms represented on the screen. They can also apply familiar gesture inputs like tilt and twist to interact with the maps in 3-D.

Some of the early launch partners for indoor maps include Macy’s, Ikea, Bloomingdales and Home Depot and airports in San Francisco, Chicago, Las Vegas, Houston, Atlanta, Seattle and other cities. Google is releasing a self-serve tool for venue owners to upload their floor plans to Google for inclusion in Google Maps.

Get the full story at GigaOM

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