Google's Embeddable Maps Due Next Week

[engine]

Google will shortly roll-out a new feature on its mapping service that will allow users to easily embed maps directly into web pages.

The feature, which operates much in the same as with YouTube videos, was conspicuously missing when Google launched its My Maps service on Google Maps in April.

The new feature was announced today in Sydney by Google Australia's senior product manager, Carl Sjogreen. He said it would be rolled-out worldwide in about a week's time.

Google's Embeddable Maps Due Next Week [smh.com.au]

[gibbergibber]

Aha, this could be a very very useful niche product. As they say, a geographical version of YouTube, and we've seen how wildly popular embedded videos have become.

[vincevincevince]

I'm not sure what's new here - I've been using Google Maps embedded on a webpage for some time - it was a simple API key wizard and a little code snippet.

[gibbergibber]

-- I'm not sure what's new here - I've been using Google Maps embedded on a webpage for some time - it was a simple API key wizard and a little code snippet. --

I assume the idea is that the embedding code will be much more neatly packaged and ready for copy and pasting, so that even people who don't know what API means will be able to use it.

That's how the Youtube embedding has become so popular, it's incredibly easy to do it.

You're right though, this feature has technically been available for quite a while.

[carguy84]

Ahh OK, for a second I thought I fell back in time again.

[narsticle]

Im amazed that Google did not introduce this upgrade sooner. It will put them leaps and bounds ahead of any other mapping product (not that they arent already). Giving the general public the ability to easiliy embed their product in their sites, myspace profiles etc allows for greater and free exposure.

[cmarshall]

I'm hoping that this also means a Version 3 of the Maps API (Maybe with Street View?) Version 2 is pretty durn awesome.

vincevincevince, if you ever want to see a pretty intense implementation of GM 2, I can SM you something. It goes WAY beyond a snippet.

[SEOPTI]

Nothing new here, I've been using this API all the time.

[gibbergibber]

-- Nothing new here, I've been using this API all the time. --

Having an API and having an easily embedded bit of code are slightly different things. One requires technical knowledge and can only be used by a minority of users, while the other simply requires knowledge of copy and paste and can be used by the majority.

The upshot of this will be far more websites and blogs containing embedded maps from Google than there were before. Indeed, embedding of Google Maps may now become the standard way to give directions and locations on the internet because it will be so easy.

[nzmatt]

Good on you Google.

I will use this to enhance my sites just as I used Google Video, and now use YouTube.