Google has just unveiled a new AR feature for Google Maps that offers a unique way to explore landmarks.
The new Augmented Reality feature for Google Maps uses Google Lens to show off famous landmarks as they might have looked in the past. Currently, users can use their phones to see the Eiffel Tower as it would have looked in the 1900s, as well as interactive info cards that offer more about the history of Paris’ famous landmark.
To use the feature, you can point your device at the tower in the real world and select the AR feature. Alternatively, you can use Street View to see the past from anywhere in the world. There are more supported landmarks on the way too, with Google saying that users could soon “visit Notre Dame Cathedral and its surroundings as it existed in 1789, explore a 3D recreation of the Bastille Saint-Antoine before the French Revolution, or tour the storied Palais des Tuileries before its demolition hundreds of years ago.”
If this all sounds vaguely familiar, it might be because this came about due to Google working with Ubisoft, the developers of the Assassin’s Creed series, in conjunction with Google Arts & Culture. While Google’s gaming dreams might have died with the Stadia, it is great to see the company is using those connections to implement exciting new features into its other properties.
Google has been pushing to improve its user experience recently, with the latest update working to add accessibility alerts to routes to make planning a journey even easier. The company has also been working to change the overall design, with even more reported to be on the way. These upcoming design changes include scrapping the fullscreen menus, replacing them with a new sheet-based layout.
Using AR to recreate historical buildings is the kind of feature that may not appeal to everyone, but it will be a draw for any history buffs or people wanting to learn more about a city’s landmarks. While the AR experience is currently limited, it is hopefully only a matter of time before landmarks outside of Paris are added.
For more advice on Google Maps, we have a full list of 9 hidden features that you should know about.