By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Internet companies are racing to plug the real world into the Web, and Daum (www.daum.net) looked to distance itself from the pack with its absurdly detailed photographic map of the country.
However, Daum may get to see Google, appearing larger in its rear-view mirror, with the U.S. search giant ready to launch the Korean version of its Street View service, which allows users to browse a selection of pictures taken along urban streets.
Street View will attempt to surpass Road View ― Daum's own ground-level image service that has so far set the bar in terms of quality.
Daum's service has been impressive with its crystal-clear views of landscapes, roads, streets and buildings, which can allow users to get an up-close view of the sushi restaurant they reserved for dinner.
Digital maps are becoming crucial for Internet companies, as they prepare to extend their competition into the mobile sector. With full-touch screens and Web browsing capabilities becoming conventional in the premium mobile phones released today, Web-based maps, navigation and other location-based features are expected to become imperative content.
It remains to be seen whether Google intends to compete with Daum in precision and coverage. Road View is distinctive for its clear and precise photo images of houses, apartment buildings and streets, as Daum eventually plans to use the service to generate business models for its online real estate information services.
A photo-mapping vehicle of Google Korea travels along the streets near Seoul Station, Thursday, to scan street images for the company’s Korean version of its Street View service
that is expected to debut next year. / Korea Times
The company is planning to expand Road View's coverage beyond Seoul and the Gyeonggi Province region, and scan the streets of other metropolitan cities and also specific leisure destinations such as golf courses or hiking trails at national parks.
Road View is already providing ground-level images of some popular tourist areas on Jeju Island.
``Google will probably provide Street View around the major roads and urban areas and it will be interesting to see if it plans to go toe-to-toe with Daum in terms of coverage,'' said an industry official.
``With the release of iPhone and other highly anticipated handsets generating a buzz for smart phones, Google needs to get its Street View service off to a good start to compete with other Web portals in the expanding mobile market. It will be interesting to see how Google seeks to achieve differentiation from Road View, which has the benefit of being there first, and from similar services.''
Naver (www.naver.com), the country's top Web site and search engine, is also preparing to launch a similar service.
Yahoo! Korea (www.yahoo.co.kr) and Paran (www.paran.com) are also providing digital maps.
Both Street View and Road View provide 360-degree panoramic views from a row of positions along the streets. Both Daum and Google have a team of engineers who blur faces and license plates for their Internet map services.
Google will provide a menu above its Street View images to allow users to report images they see as inappropriate or that infringe on privacy.
thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/10/123_53683.html
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