Google to Start Mapping Malls

In a move many consumers will likely come to love, Google has announced on its official blog that it plans to bring it's mapping technology to malls in the United States and Japan, and eventually to other countries in the world as well. Many users already familiar with Google Map and Google Earth that transports people virtually from their computer to real world places, will find Google Malls an exciting develop, especially when using it on their Smartphones.

The idea, Google says, is to assist users in finding their way around sometimes cavernous malls, such as The Mall of America in Minnesota, which is three times the size of a ballpark. Users though, will find out that it's much more than that, it will also be a way for Google to customize ads for shoppers while actually in the mall, likely upping charges for retailers, and increasing revenue. For mall shoppers, the app would do away with having to find an in-mall map and navigating from there. Instead, they would simply open up their Google Mall app, note the blue dot that shows them where in the mall they are, and proceed towards wherever they want to go. Such an app would obviously also offer search features to assist shoppers in finding specific products in specific stores.

In its initial outing, Google Mall will only be available to Android based Smartphone users, though the company says it will port the app for regular computer users as well, at some point.

Google hopes that because so many users are used to using Google Maps, that the transition to using Google Mall won't be much of a stretch. With it, users will be able to use Google to find the mall in the first place, and then to navigate around once inside, just as they would were they using Google Earth.

In addition to searching, Google will also add reference material to the app, which means users will be able to identify stores, bathrooms, exits, etc. that are around them via popups on their screen, just by orienting themselves in different directions.

At the outset, only a few malls will be available of course, but as time passes, more and more will be added, though Google points out that cooperation by the owners of the malls is needed. In the beginning stages, Google is asking mall owners to simply send floor maps as a way to get in on the ground floor, so to speak.

Google says Google Mall, like it's other mapping software, will be free.