Google last night issued a minor but welcomed update to its free Google Maps for iOS app. In addition to some bug fixes, version 3.1 now offers “smoother, faster transitions when you move through Street View.”
The latest update arrives two weeks after the Internet giant issued a major 3.0 update, bringing the much-needed offline mode to Google Maps in addition to lane guidance, Uber integration, Voice Search, pins and more…
To access Street View in the Google Maps app, first tap and hold a place on the map to select a location. Alternatively, just search for a business or address.
Next, tap the bottom info sheet to view place information. From there, select the Street View button, if present, to transition to street-level imagery.
Once in Street View, you can drag the panorama with your finger, use the white arrows to navigate, double-tap where along the road you wish to move to and use the pinch-zoom gesture to zoom in and out (not all zoom levels are available for all locations).
Moreover, tapping the look-around icon will enter a mode where you can move your device around in space and see how Street View responds in the virtual space.
Street View isn’t available for all areas so do check out Google’s continuously updated list of Street View-friendly markets here.
Download Google Maps free in the App Store.
The app is universal and requires iOS 6.0 or later.
Image top of post: Street View imagery of Apple’s Fifth Avenue glass cube store in Google Maps on iPad.