The new view -- available to those that have installed Google Earth -- is a remarkable next step for the application and offers 3D perspective with high-resolution imagery, terrain and cityscapes. Essentially Google Maps now supports multi-dimensional world discovery in much the same way that Google Earth does.
"Earth view offers a true three-dimensional perspective, which lets you experience mountains in full detail, 3D buildings, and first-person dives beneath the ocean," Product Manager Peter Birch wrote in a blog post. "The motion is fluid, and you can see the world from any viewpoint."
In order to drive home the utility and power of 3D landscapes, Google has created 36 Earth View showcases of world-renowned places and wonders -- think the Taj Mahal, Tower of Pisa and the Titanic -- which are accessible in the left-hand menu of Google Maps.
After just a few minutes with Earth View, we're already quite impressed. It's not often that Google introduces an alternative way to view the world in map form, and this one's a winner. You can play around with Earth View yourself, or watch a video demonstration of it below.