Delight, Deviceful and Death: Google Maps 3D
In the latest string of map launches, Google has unveiled an idea that has been called the death of modern GPS systems: Fully 3D Google Maps.
In the latest string of map launches, Google has unveiled an idea that has been called the death of modern GPS systems: Fully 3D Google Maps. 
Using a 'new process' to get extra depth, the imagery contains so much detail that it models every building and even trees, giving an extraordinary level of detail that has so far been thought near impossible. The three dimensions implemented on smartphones and tablets brings the functionality of portable GPS systems and combines it with the aesthetics and customisations granted by the powerful mobile processors. The Google Map event showed many extras to the program, including offline downloading and new interfaces. Coming to Google Maps, iOS and even Android devices within the coming weeks, the company showed off the program running on the iPad 3 in perfect symmetry to the desktop counterpart. The death of the portable GPS system was instigated by Garmin, who saw their shares drop by 10% on the day of the unveiling. The company said, Weve been competing successfully with free navigation on Android phones, and through third party apps also on the iPhone, for a couple of years now. Garmin continued, We think that there is a market for smartphone navigation apps, PNDs and in-dash navigation systems as each of these solutions has their own advantages and use case limitations and ultimately its up to the consumer to decide what they prefer.