“An Apple patent application discovered on Thursday hints that the company is looking to deploy on mobile devices a virtual navigation system based on panoramic location data, much like the popular ‘Street View’ seen in Google Maps,” Mikey Campbell reports for AppleInsider.
“Published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Apple’s ‘3D Position Tracking for Panoramic Imagery Navigation’ describes a graphical user interface that leverages an iPhone or iPad’s onboard sensors to navigate panoramic imagery,” Campbell reports. “According to the filing, Apple’s invention improves upon current technology, like Google’s Street View, which boxes users into a “bubble” that can only be navigated through an input device like a mouse or multitouch screen. For example, in a conventional GUI, the user must “jump” to a panoramic “bubble” at a given intersection and pan within said bubble to move in a desired direction; a tedious experience for mobile device users on the go.”
Campbell reports, “Instead of the traditional approach, Apple proposes tracking subsystems and onboard sensors deployed within a mobile device be used to translate a user’s physical motion into a panoramic navigation UI.”
Read much more, and see Apple patent application illustrations, in the full article here.
Yes please – I’m stuck on IOS 5 until it happens, as Google replacement maps app is rubbish.
You must be a sado masochist or perfectionist or both.
Nope, he just has a brain. You should try one sometime.
By that definition you must be a f***ing retard.
@Nut
Thanks for your valuable insight.
@MDN
Can you PLEASE enforce that “must be 8 years old to post” suggestion I made.
Neither – I’m able to navigate to most places without a map, but find Street View useful to get a visual cue for the destination.
Also, love it for onscreen tourism.
Just update then download the google maps app… It’s better than the iOS 5 one anyway.
I hope they take their time and not rush it. Wouldn’t want another Maps app that gets us lost, now do we?
Agreed. I hate when Google maps does that to me.
Sounds like a logical extension to QuickTime VR, something Apple introduced about 15 years ago.
Everyone who dissed Street View as being useless since iOS maps has Flyover available in some select cities… Try justifying your position now.
Flyover is awesome. I am sure Panoramic Imagery will be just as good. Keep it up Apple.
I am going to go out on a limb here. I can’t imagine how Apple can do this, without running afoul to Google, who has this pretty much locked up tight.
Who else has street view? Flyover is the only thing that’s different enough to work. I am thinking, maybe if they took street view data, and pasted it over flyover renderings. This would give you street view details and not run into patent issues. It might even be more cool.
If you are referring to any Google Street View patents, the way patents are (supposed to) work is that it is only the execution (software and technology that makes Street View work) that can be protected, not the idea of Street View.
Anyone is free to develop different technology that produces the same result, they just can’t do it the same way Google did. Even then, I’m not sure that all patents Google may have on hardware technology may be valid.
For example… setting up multiple cameras to shoot panoramic shots is probably not something enforceable due to prior art (and probable existing patents). Ditto on putting them on a moving vehicle.
However, the particular hardware for mounting them and linking them together could be a different matter.
Downloaded the Google Maps app just to take a peek. Ugly. I love Apple’s graphics.
BTW, since I haven’t given Google Maps access to Location Services, can someone tell me if it does voice-guided turn-by-turn directions?
It does!!