Google Maps is 10 years former today. On eighth February 2005 Google Maps was released inwards the USA. Initially Google Maps exclusively provided an interactive slippy map of the U.S. but other countries were presently added to the map (by 2006 Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, together with simply about cities inwards the Republic of Ireland).
In early on Apr 2005 Paul Rademacher released the rattling get-go Google Maps hack - HousingMaps. Paul's mashup of Google Maps together with bird together with housing listings from Craigslist proved that Google Maps could endure much to a greater extent than than a useful online map but could also endure a tool for amazing information visualizations.
Google embraced Paul's hack of Google Maps together with inwards June 2005, Google released the Google Maps API. The Maps API provided a JavaScript library that enabled anyone to piece of job Google Maps on their ain websites.
Ten years after Google Maps together with the Google Maps API are nevertheless going strong. However Google does straight off confront much tougher competition. Apple Maps, Bing Maps, Here Maps together with OpenStreetMap render bang-up alternatives to Google Maps. On the JavaScript mapping front end Mapbox, Leaflet.js, Esri together with other mapping libraries appear to convey much to a greater extent than active evolution communities straight off than the Google Maps API.
Most of the evolution inwards Google Maps together with the Maps API straight off seems focused on mobile devices. So where volition Google Maps endure inwards simply about other 10 years? I brand no predictions, except to nation that I mean value Google Maps volition in all likelihood nevertheless endure 1 of the marketplace position leaders but volition in all likelihood non relish the almost monopolistic position it has held over the concluding 10 years. I'm less confident almost the Google Maps API, every bit it seems to endure fast becoming an irrelevance inwards the basis of map development.
