Google Maps is no longer a flat map
techcrunch.com
Google Maps is no longer a flat map
1–10 of 173 posts
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#2Apple Maps used to do this too. They took it away a few versions ago for reasons I don’t quite understand. I really liked the “Pale Blue Dot”-like overview of the Earth when zoomed out all the way.
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#3I find it curious that it loads the old 2D representation first -- made me think it wasn't working for a moment or two.
Also, is it just me or is zooming a bit broken at low zooms now? The globe drifts as I zoom.
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#4"On flat maps, it’s impossible to represent land mass size on a relative scale."
Um, no it's not. TechCrunch needs better editors. You just need to use a non-Mercator projection.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall%E2%80%93Peters_projection
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#5Apple Maps used to do this too. They took it away a few versions ago for reasons I don’t quite understand. I really liked the “Pale Blue Dot”-like overview of the Earth when zoomed out all the way.
Apple Maps (desktop version) still does this, but only in Satellite mode. Which feels very intuitive, to be honest.
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#6Looks like this isn't rolled out to everyone. I'm not seeing the 3D version (logged in & incognito).
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#7>On flat maps, it’s impossible to represent land mass size on a relative scale.
This isn't right. It is impossible to represent both relative position and relative size accurately. Gall-Peters and other equal-area projections accurately represent relative sizes.
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#8"On flat maps, it’s impossible to represent land mass size on a relative scale." Um, no it's not. TechCrunch needs better editors. You just need to use a non-Mercator projection. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall%E2%80%93Peters_projection
You can represent size or shape correctly, not both.
Anyone who uses the Gall-Peters projection is a cop.
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#9"On flat maps, it’s impossible to represent land mass size on a relative scale." Um, no it's not. TechCrunch needs better editors. You just need to use a non-Mercator projection. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gall%E2%80%93Peters_projection
You can represent size or shape correctly, not both. Anyone who uses the Gall-Peters projection is a cop.
Obligatory XKCD
Re: Google Maps is no longer a flat map
#10Finally we are rid of the biggest source of Mercator! Finally we can look at the south pole!