Google Maps now has a wild AR time travel feature that shows you historical landmarks as they were
Google Maps’ latest update is giving users a more immersive experience through the magic of augmented reality (AR). In honor of the 2024 Olympic Games, these features are first focusing on Paris.
As explained in a blog postCertain well-known landmarks on Google Maps – including the Eiffel Tower in the French capital – now show a AR experience when you look for them on the map.
Tap this and you can explore the landmark through time by pointing your phone at it. With the Eiffel Tower, for example, you can see original architectural concepts for the structure that was ultimately never built.
Additionally, you can point your phone at the banks of the Seine to see temporary structures erected for the 1900 Exposition Universelle. This is a great example of how augmented reality can be used very effectively.
More coming soon
Google says similar experiences are coming soon to more Parisian landmarks, including Notre Dame Cathedral. You can also see the Bastille Saint-Antoine and the Palais des Tuileries as they were before their demolition.
The new experiences have been developed in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture and game studio Ubisoftand it is one of many new initiatives Google has introduced in its apps to support the Olympic Games.
Google’s blog post doesn’t specifically mention that these interactive experiences will be rolled out beyond the borders of the French capital, but it does tell us to “look forward to more content in the future,” suggesting this is just the beginning.
Most of the time, we don’t have to wait long for a new feature to appear in Google Maps, but some take a while to become widely available. For example, the ability to report accidents on the road was only recently added to Google Maps on CarPlay.
