Google Maps, Local Expand To UK

Koushiro writes "From Google's official blog comes word that Google Maps UK and Google Local UK have been launched, confirming speculations that the search engine giant would continue to expand its regional services to an international audience. The seemingly logical next step, of course, would be to expand coverage to Western Europe, but given the input Google's UK office had into this project, can we expect Google Maps India next?"

Comments

Canada

[mincognito]

"expand its regional services to an international audience" Canada isn't the U.S. you know.

Re:Canada

[Anonymous Coward]

Canada (Score:2, Funny)
"expand its regional services to an international audience" Canada isn't the U.S. you know.

Yeah, laughter is the usual reaction when you point that out to Americans.

The same education is behind New Mexico needing to add USA to their license plates.

There are a lot of intelligent Americans, but just not the percentage there should be.

Unusual Projections

[andrewbirkett]

In the UK, most maps use the British Grid projection. Google, in their international wisdom, appear to have used a different projection which causes the map to "appear wrong" to a UK person. Actually, the map is perfectly correct, it's just that Google are presenting it in a way which is not customary for the UK.

For example, try a search for postcode "EH1" on http://maps.google.co.uk, and the same on www.multimap.co.uk. Notice that the shape of the quarter-circle road system (Princes St, Melville Drive, the Bridges) is different on each.

Re:Unusual Projections

[Jussi K. Kojootti]

Well, maybe that international wisdom is worth something?

I mean, they will eventually cover continental Europe too. Then would you like to have different services for the UK and rest of Europe? Or maybe you're thinking rest of Europe should use the British Grid too ;)

Re:Not only the UK

[shreevatsa]

But IIRC, (part of) Ireland is in the UK. Doesn't UK stand for "The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"?

Re:SMS

[meringuoid]

Bugger me. Well, that's the end of the great British pub quiz, then... I think we have to just accept it now. Google is on course to evolve into an Overmind and rule the world. Suddenly I've got an information source in my pocket that makes the Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy look feeble...

Re:Google Maps India a distant dream

[Anonymous Coward]

The main problem with starting a service like this in India would be keeping it up to date. Have you seen the latest Eicher and TTK maps? Most of them are, at least, 3 years outdated. Even those of the cities.

75% of the country is rural, so the high level of detail is quite impossible. Most cities are under construction all the time, so details keep changing. Been to hyderabad lately? Those guys are going crazy with flyovers. It's not just minor roads either. National Highways (B'lore-Hyd, NH4 I think) are still being constructed. Main roads in the cities keep getting rerouted.

Besides, there would be no demand for it for maybe 3-4 years more. Internet penetration isn't really that high :(

And this is just from my knowledge as a college guy who doesn't travel much. Regular travellers I know tell me that roads keep changing all the time. I don't see this happening very soon.

Re:India?

[The Cydonian]

*sigh*. Third time I'm pointing out in this thread, but imagine driving through Harayana with a decent-resolution *satellite* map that you've just downloaded off your 3G mobile phone. You probably wouldnt have gotten lost! :-)

The point being, I'd disagree with the notion that India is not ready for Google Maps. On the contrary, I think countries like India are a perfect market for a web-based satellite atlas that Google Maps effectively is.