Google Street View in 2026
This post dives deep into analyzing Google Street View coverage data, employing a robust workstation, DuckDB, and QGIS to map global update patterns. Hacker News appreciated the technical methodology for handling large geospatial datasets and visualizing the results effectively. The discussion also turned into a lively debate comparing Google's stagnant Street View user experience with Apple Maps' innovative 3D rendering.
The Lowdown
Mark Litwintschik meticulously examines a publicly available dataset detailing Google Street View capture dates, aiming to process and visualize its geospatial spread. He details his method for transforming raw JSON data into an optimized Parquet format, offering insights into the global coverage landscape.
- The author showcases his high-performance workstation and its role in handling large datasets, noting his use of Ubuntu on Windows for development.
- He outlines the setup process for DuckDB, including installing essential extensions like H3, Lindel, JSON, Parquet, and Spatial for geospatial data handling.
- The workflow involved downloading 131 JSON files (647 MB) and importing them into DuckDB, then exporting to an 85 MB spatially-sorted, ZStandard-compressed Parquet file containing over 7 million records.
- Data analysis reveals yearly point counts, with coverage ranging from 2003 to 2025 in the dataset.
- QGIS visualizations provide detailed maps illustrating Street View coverage and update recency across Europe, India/Southeast Asia, Australia/New Zealand, North America, and Latin America/Caribbean.
- Notably, data for several countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina and Vietnam, were found to be missing from the dataset.
This detailed technical exploration provides a compelling look into leveraging modern data tools for geospatial analysis, culminating in a clear picture of Google Street View's evolving global presence.
The Gossip
Google vs. Apple: A Mapping Mismatch
Commenters extensively compared Google Street View to Apple Maps, largely lamenting Google's perceived stagnation in user experience and lack of innovation over the past decade. Many praised Apple Maps' subtle yet effective parallax 3D effect and smoother transitions, suggesting Google has underinvested in its product, with some attributing this to its market dominance.
Map Visuals and Base Layers
One commenter inquired about the striking aesthetic of the base map used in the visualizations, initially speculating on video game inspirations like Pandemic or DEFCON, before identifying it as ArcGIS's 'Nova Map' tile set.
Geographic Coverage Peculiarities
A specific observation was made regarding the presented data, questioning the notably high density of Google Street View coverage in Southern Ontario compared to other North American regions, highlighting an interesting localized pattern.