Google Maps Street View might soon allow users to upload their own photos of places and streets

In this article (4)
Google Maps is now one of the most popular navigation and exploration tools, and a new feature coming to its Google Street View might soon allow people to upload photos to make sure hardly reachable areas of streets or cities can be visible in Google Street View. The feature to upload images will be present in the standalone app Google Street View, which will allow you to use your smartphone to contribute to Google Maps.
In the beginning, in order to be able to place you on a street in Google Maps, Google had cars that went about with big 360-degree cameras that took photos of the streets. This later helps anyone who needs more precise navigation or to get a feel of the streets in Google Maps and Google Street View to virtually place themselves in the middle of the street and look around.
Now, to further this capability and make previous unavailable-for-visualization places accessible, Google’s Street View will have a feature that can use your smartphone to take photos of the place as you drive. Reddit user -J-G- spotted the feature in Google Street View Driving mode. Additionally, Google might need to use some image processing and software to merge the photos together for a 360-angle view.
As expected, the app will blur faces and vehicle plates, protecting the privacy of everyone while at the same time providing more images and visualization to Google Street View in places unreachable for Google alone.
Questions & Answers
Q.How will users contribute photos to Google Street View?
How will users contribute photos to Google Street View?
Users will be able to upload photos to Google Street View using their smartphone via the standalone Google Street View app. This will allow them to contribute images of places, even while driving.
Q.What is the primary benefit of this new photo upload feature?
What is the primary benefit of this new photo upload feature?
The main benefit is making previously unavailable areas visible and accessible in Google Street View. Users can contribute images of hardly reachable streets or cities that Google cars could not cover.
Q.How will Google address privacy concerns with user-uploaded photos?
How will Google address privacy concerns with user-uploaded photos?
Google is expected to use image processing and software to blur faces and vehicle registration plates in the uploaded photos. This will protect the privacy of individuals while still enhancing the visual data.
Reader pulse
What's the main impact of user-uploaded Street View imagery?
16,290 votes so far