Bing Maps Updated with 13 Million Square Kilometers of Satellite Imagery

Microsoft wants to remind you that Google isn't the only game in town. There's also Bing, and Bing Maps, the latter of which just received a pretty significant update with new top of the world and updated high resolution satellite imagery spanning more than 13 million square kilometers.

"We are pleased to present our new seamless base satellite imagery provided by TerraColor. This imagery has a resolution of 15 meters per pixel, providing coverage of the entire world!," Microsoft said in a blog post. "This new imagery will enhance overall viewer experience with Bing Maps and the Windows 8 Maps App. Experience it yourself by visiting the Windows 8 Maps App or Bing Maps. The new Top of the World imagery is visible from zoom levels 1-13. Zooming in deeper will reveal our high resolution satellite imagery."


There's quite a bit of technology that goes into mapping software. For example, to provide a clearer view of satellite images in locations known for heavy cloud cover, a new base satellite layer is analyzed and processed to provide better views. Check out the before and after images above.

Also included in the update is ocean floor topography represented by color shading (dark blues to light blues). The changes in color represent ocean depth.

 All this comes just a few months after Microsoft added 121TB of global satellite imagery to Bing Maps.