Since 2006, Google Earth has been helping people to see different parts of the world from the comfort of their home, work place and more. Over the years, the service has witnessed a number of improvements and now, Google has shared that users can experience the world in virtual reality.
On Wednesday, Nov. 16, Google announced Google Earth VR, which will allow users to take tours of various cities across the globe. Google Earth VR is a big step forward and will make people see the world in a different way. With Earth VR, users can fly over their favorite city, stand on some highest peaks and also explore the space.
Google has also launched a number of guided tours to go with Google Earth VR. These tours will make it easier for people who want to learn more about the new service or for those who do not have good geography skills. Many famous locations are available for users to pick from.
"Now, at 196.9 million square miles, we know the world is pretty big, so we've made it easy to find great places to visit. Earth VR comes with cinematic tours and hand-picked destinations that send you to the Amazon River, the Manhattan skyline, the Grand Canyon, the Swiss Alps, and more," says Google.
Google Earth VR is available only for HTC Vive headset. Customers can download the app for free from Steam Store.
Although, experiencing different cities and locations in VR can be a great experience, customers should note that VR can cause headache and eye discomfort for some time after taking off the headset. This is mainly due to the fast transition of screen in VR.
HTC Vive has been available in the market since April this year. A number of other VR headsets such as Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR and more are giving stiff competition to the HTC Vive. As Google Earth VR can be experienced only via HTC Vive, it is likely that many people would want to buy the HTC VR headmount.
"This looks amazing ... now I just need to save $800 for an HTC Vive," says a YouTuber.
Although, the HTC Vive is available from Amazon and HTC's website for about $800, customers should note that they also need a compatible PC for the headset. Check out the minimum and recommended system requirements to run Google Earth VR on the Steam Store.
Check out a short video of how Google Earth VR works.
