Google Maps updated with new high-resolution images

Google is on a roll with the Google Maps updates lately. Earlier this week, the company announced that it had updated Google Maps Street View to include a select number of underwater locations around the world, and today, it has updated Maps once again. This time around, the big G is adding more high-resolution satellite images and a number of 45° aerial images from many places around the world.

Specifically, 45° aerial images have been added for 37 US and 14 international locations. Google illustrates these additions with images of Pisa, Italy, and Winnipeg, Canada, and we have to say that they look very nice. These 45° images will come in handy if, for instance, you’re visiting a city for the first time and need to get a good idea of the layout. Alternatively, if you’re like us, you like to use Google Maps to look at all sorts of places you’ll probably never visit in real life, something else these 45° images are good for.

In addition to new 45° images, Google has included new high-def satellite and aerial images with this update. As an added bonus, the Google Earth app has also been updated with these new high-definition images. 17 cities and 112 countries or regions are covered in this update, giving you a high-definition look at some of the world’s cities and breathtaking landmarks. Google was kind enough to include a list of all of the cities and regions included in this update, which is posted below.

Cities with new high resolution 45° imagery:
United States: Ames, IA; Anderson, IN; Billings, MT; Bloomington, IL; Carmel Valley, CA; Cedar Rapids, IA; Coeur d’Alene, ID; Corvallis, OR; Danville, IL; Dayton, OH; Detroit, MI; Dubuque, IA; Elizabethtown, KY; Enid, OK; Florence, SC; Grand Forks, ND; Great Falls, MT; Gulfport, MS; Hartford, CT; Kankakee, IL; Kenosha, WI; Lafayette, IN; Lancaster, CA; Lansing, MI; Lewiston, ID; Los Banos, CA; Madison, WI; Medford, OR; Michigan City, IN; Olympia, WA; Pocatello, ID; Sheboygan, WI; Sioux City, IA; Sioux Falls, SD; South Bend, IN; Terre Haute, IN; Utica, NY.

International: Angers, France; Clermont-Ferrand, France; Coimbra, Portugal; Dijon, France; Grenoble, France; Livorno, Italy; Lyon, France; Newcastle, United Kingdom; Oberhausen, Germany; Palermo, Italy; Pisa, Italy; Toulouse, France; Troyes, France; Winnipeg, Canada.

Areas with new high resolution aerial updates:
Florence OR, Kellogg ID, Casper WY, North Platte NE, Concordia KS, Alva OK, Austin TX, Nevada MO, Chilicothe MO, Toulouse FR, Clermont-Ferrand FR, Angers FR, Nantes FR, Troyes FR, Lille FR, Thun CH, Lucca IT

Areas new high resolution satellite updates:
Canada, United States, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Antarctica, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Zambia, Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali, The Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Turkey, Iran, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Finland, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzebekistan, Turkmenistan, China, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, The Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand

Looking at that long list, it becomes clear that Google Maps and Earth users are getting a pretty massive update today. All of this while Apple’s Tim Cook was apologizing to users about the sad state of Apple Maps today. Make no mistake, it has to feel pretty good to be Google these days. What do you think of this latest Google Maps/Earth update?

[via Google Maps Blog]