Google’s new VR app for the Australian market is coming soon, the company announced today.
The virtual reality (VR) app, which Google calls Google Earth, will be available to purchase on the App Store from December 6th and will be priced at AU$14.99, a 25 per cent discount from its original price.
The company has been working on the project for a number of years, first in collaboration with the Australian National University’s Department of Geography, and later with the University of Queensland’s School of Geosciences.
The app, as with Google Earth itself, uses Google Maps to track your position, while a “mapping editor” tracks and maps your surroundings.
It’s designed to help users “explore and interact with the landscape and create immersive experiences”, Google said in a blog post.
Users can download the app and try it out for free on the Google Maps app.
Google also announced that Google Earth will be launching with a new set of 3D features in a few months, including virtual “real time” imagery, a “tilt to zoom” effect, and a new “collision avoidance” feature.
The real-time imagery lets users see the landscape in 3D as it changes, and is designed to make it easier to “identify objects and landmarks” around the user.
“It also makes it easy to track and share your experiences with other people in the Google Earth community,” Google said.
Google also said that Google Street View will soon be available in the app, with users able to see their own locations from their smartphone, in real-estate listings.
Google has also announced a new service, Google Earth Plus, that will be rolled out across Australia, offering users access to a “new experience that combines real-world content with 360-degree imagery and geocoding”, and the ability to upload photos, videos and more from Google Maps.