Google has released a new app today for those who own the HTC Vive virtual reality headset. Google Earth VR is now available for this headset, enabling users to fly around and check out some of the most interesting parts of our planet in virtual reality. The company has been working on this app for some time and it’s similar in concept to the Street View app it has already released for Daydream and Cardboard platforms.
Earth VR takes it up a notch by providing users with a topographical reconstruction of the planet. It also provides them guided tours of popular places like Monument Valley and Manhattan in virtual reality.
Google has only released this app for the HTC Vive right now but it’s “actively exploring support for other platforms.” The app provides access to some of the world’s biggest cities rendered beautifully in 3D as well as high-resolution satellite imagery and elevation data for almost the entire planet.
The app has been built to improve as Google Earth’s dataset improves over time. The team behind this app says that Earth VR “is a product, not a demo,” which means that they will keep adding more to it in the future.
Google Earth VR is live now and available as a free download from the HTC Vive headset.
Filed in . Read more about Google Earth, HTC Vive and Virtual Reality (VR). Source: roadtovr