14 DAY TRIAL // Android users should soon be able to enjoy more Google Maps and Photo Sphere (from Android 4.2) features included in third-party applications, as Google has announced the availability of new APIs for developers.
The Internet giant has made the new APIs available as part of its Google Play service, which was designed right from the start to deliver better integration with Google products and to deliver new capabilities to apps available for the Android platform.
“The new version of the API allows developers to bring many of the recent features of Google Maps for Android to your Android apps. We’re excited to make this API available as part of Google Play services supporting devices from Froyo onwards (API level 8+),” Google explains.
The company also notes that the new API takes advantage of vector-based maps with support for 2D and 3D views, and that it provides users with the possibility to tilt and rotate the map through simple gestures.
Furthermore, the new API brings along a new layer, indoor maps, which complement the already available satellite, hybrid, terrain and traffic layers available in the service.
According to Google, developers should be able to add support for major airports and shopping centers in their applications released for the Android platform.
The new API also provides the option to add map to Activity, and to create markers and info windows in the form of Polylines, Polygons, Ground Overlays and Tile Overlays, all with only a few simple lines of code.
“More than 800,000 sites around the world already use our mapping APIs to create amazing and useful apps. We hope you enjoy using this new addition to the Google Maps API family, and building mapping experiences that were never before possible on a mobile device,” the Internet giant notes.
Additionally, the company announced the availability of new APIs and documentation that will provide developers with the possibility to enhance their apps with features related to the recently introduced Photo Sphere mode in Android 4.2 camera.
All application builders interested in taking advantage of these features should head over to this blog post on Android Developers to learn more on the matter.