Three major German cities were chosen for tests with the camera backpacks. These should ensure better map material in Apple Maps. The recordings should start in a few days and show pictures of places that cannot be reached by car.
The first tests with the camera backpacks are scheduled to begin on Monday, July 5th. The actual recordings for Apple Maps will start on July 26th and, according to the information from the German Press Agency (dpa), should last until the end of September.
Berlin, Munich and Hamburg were chosen as the first cities. These were chosen “because they appeared to be good cities to test the technology”. There are places there that are otherwise difficult to reach in order to take high-resolution images for the map service.
APPLE MAPS IN PEDESTRIAN ZONES, PARKS AND TRAIN STATIONS
With the help of the camera backpacks it is possible to reach places that are inaccessible for traditional camera cars. These include pedestrian zones, parks and train stations. However, there are no plans to cover the entire area of pedestrian areas in these cities. Instead, you want to focus on important places.
A few years ago, Apple had already sent camera cars onto German streets to take their own recordings. As with cars, the backpacks are equipped with several cameras and a laser radar. With this one can scan the surroundings even in poor visibility conditions.
As known from Google Street View , Apple’s version of the street view, the so-called “Look Around” feature, makes faces and license plates unrecognizable. Residents can also apply for their houses to be pixelated .
APPLE MAPS: CAMERA CARS IN AUSTRIA TOO
But Germany is not the only country in which an increased presence for Apple’s map service can be expected in the coming days. As reported by “DerStandard” , Apple Maps cars will do their laps in Austria from July 5th. The recordings are supposed to extend over several months and not be completed until mid-December. The use of camera backpacks is currently not planned in Austria.
DETAILED MAPS FROM IOS 15
In the future, Apple’s map service will also be even more detailed. For example, the company presented a new design for the map material in iOS 15 . Bridges, buildings and even trees can be seen in the 3D view.
When navigating , the lanes are clearly visible, which should make traveling in unknown regions easier. Unfortunately, these features are currently only available in a few locations. This includes Apple’s home in California. It is not known when the detailed maps in Apple Maps will also be available in Germany.
