For those wanting the traditional data-focused capabilities of Google Earth, Google Earth Pro is still available for download, though the product is not a priority for Google.įrom a product perspective, there are essentially three Google Earth products currently available, two of which Google actively supports. Looking for an alternative to Google Earth? Navigate the many options on the market with our intro to modern mapping software. Thanks to the Google Earth Blog, a site with almost daily postings about the product, we can trace the history of the software, what ultimately led to its demise, and what the future looks like for those who feel they’ve been abandoned. So, what happened to the first product to put the power of GIS mapping into the hands of consumers? Many long-time users feel Google abandoned the features that made it so powerful for research and learning: focusing on a more casual audience. Since then, it’s undergone several iterations with varying feature sets.Ĭurrently, there are four active versions of Google Earth: the desktop app Google Earth Pro, open-source Google Earth Enterprise, browser-based Google Earth 9, and Google Earth VR.įrom the perspective of its loyal user-base, Google Earth's history has been tumultuous, and ultimately disappointing. Prior to acquisition, Keyhole had received significant funding from the CIA’s venture capital branch, In-Q-Tel. Originally known as Keyhole, the product was renamed Google Earth after the start-up was purchased by Google. With its multipurpose design and expansive toolset, the software targets a diverse user-base spanning education, government, real estate, media, insurance, and construction, as well as a loyal set of private consumers. It enables individuals to create, store, view, and interact with data as it relates to location. Google Earth is arguably the most well-known and widely used geographic information system (GIS) software available.

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