Google Earth relaunches with guided tours, 3D views and more

Google has launched a new version of Google Earth after two years of development.

The new version incorporates the familiar features such as street view and offers new functions such as Voyager – a showcase of interactive guided tours. Collaborators at launch include BBC Earth, which takes you on a tour of diverse habitats around the world in the Natural Treasures series, and Sesame Street takes a look a Girl Muppets around the World. The function includes 50 examples at launch including stories that reveal the exact location that a David Attenborough documentary was shot, while viewing the film at the same time, or provides a tour of Gombe National Park, Tanzania, by primate expert and conservationist Jane Goodall, and a building tour with architect Frank Gehry.

A new “I’m feeling lucky” function will take visitors to one of 20,000 places of interest around the world – offering information and views of areas of natural beauty, famous attractions, parks, buildings and monuments. Each location is accompanied with a “knowledge card” that will provide further background to what you are looking at.

Another improved function is the 3D button that provides a drone’s eye view of any location that can be anchored to one spot or slowly rotate around a location. “Swoop around the Grand Canyon and see geological layers, or check out the majestic architecture and pristine grounds of the 500-year-old Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley in France,” says Google in a blog post.

Google Earth is available to use for free using Google Chrome, iOS and Android.